


A Starkling in the Skye

by HopeLions13



Series: Starkling [6]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Multi, Skye | Daisy Johnson is Tony Stark's Daughter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-12-14 21:18:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 56,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11791671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopeLions13/pseuds/HopeLions13
Summary: After a long wait the final part of the Starkling series is here.  After Mary Sue Poots became Daisy Stark, she had it all:her father, her boyfriend, her job. Now she has nothing but a month of wiped memories, and an aching hole nothing seems to fill. Then comes project Centipede, and the revelation that Coulson is still alive, and maybe, just maybe, the Starkling can find her corner of the sky on a little Bus.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so, so, so sorry for the long wait. I could give you excuses, or I could just give you the story. Also you're getting 4 chapters today, because, to be perfectly honest, I'd forgotten that I posted this series on here as well and have been updating on Fanfiction for a few weeks. Oops. Anyways enjoy! Also, I haven't used AO3 since I posted the last story and forget how to make the formatting work so sorry if it looks bad. I think the format is easier to read on Fanfic.net, but if this works for you have at it.

Chapter 1  
Daisy Stark typed furiously on her laptop. Her eyes scanned the screen in front of her, looking for any typo that might mess up the whole program. Things were going smoothly enough she just needed to not get distracted. If she could just stay focused for a few more seconds…

A Skype call came in, breaking Daisy’s concentration, and causing the program she’d been running to fail. She cursed whoever was calling her, and then cursed again when she realized it was Steve. Daisy did her best to straighten out her hair and clothes, and then answered the call from her ‘boyfriend’. 

Steve looked much the same as he always did. He was calling from his Smartphone, apparently he’d caught on to modern technology quite well, and in the background Daisy could see the Washington Monument. She looked down at the clock; it was only a little past six in DC. “You’re up early,” she told Steve, taking a sip of her coffee.

Steve raised an eyebrow, “You are too, though from the look of it you’re just up late. It’s three AM Daisy, shouldn’t you be asleep?”  
Daisy scowled at him. He was not her father. Her father was asleep in the other bedroom. “I’m fine. It doesn’t really matter what time I go to sleep at; I don’t have anything I need to wake up for.”

“I know that it’s just…” Steve trailed off, taking in Daisy’s appearance. She was a mess. Her hair was longer than he’d ever seen it, but greasy and tangled. The bags around her eyes were darker than her eyes themselves, and he remembered her wearing the same shirt when he’d spoken to her two days ago. In short Daisy looked like a homeless trainwreck, but her lack of a home wasn’t the problem. 

“I’m just worried about you Daisy,” Steve admitted with a sigh. “And Nat told me that she saw you were online this late all the time, and I’m just worried. You need… you need some sun.”

Daisy looked out her window. It was dark of course, but there were enough streetlights for her to see the rolling hills of Malibu’s sandy beaches. She lived in one of the sunniest places in the world. “I go out on the porch every day and sit in the sun,” Daisy reassured him. “A whole half hour at least. I’m fine. And even if I wasn’t you don’t need to worry about me. I’m not your responsibility.”

“You’re my girlfriend Daisy. I care about you,” Steve argued, sounding indefinitely frustrated with Daisy. She didn’t exactly blame him for being frustrated, actually she encouraged it. She’d been trying to run him off for months now. Maybe it was finally time for her to do it. She’d been selfishly delaying the hard blows, but she was exhausted, and she wasn’t thinking straight, so why the Hell not?

“You’re not my boyfriend Steve, not really. You haven’t come to see me in months. And you only ever call to lecture me about not taking care of myself. That’s not a relationship. I have enough people controlling my every movement. I don’t need you too.”

The words stung Steve, it was clear, and Daisy was bitterly satisfied. That had to be enough to send him running. In the end it was the best thing she could do for Steve. She cared about him, of course she cared about him, and it was because she cared about him that he needed to just leave her alone. He was Captain America, the world’s symbol of goodness and righteousness. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by coddling Daisy. 

“Fine, I’m not going to fight you,” Steve told her, biting his lip and clenching his fist. “But when you’re ready to begin living again call me. And until then I might not be your father, but I do work with him. If I have to tell him you’re driving yourself into the ground then I will.”

Daisy rolled her eyes. He could play the righteous one, but he was just being obnoxious. “I live with him Steve. I don’t think you need to tattle on me for him to know what I look like. He doesn’t care if I’m up at three AM. You shouldn’t either. Now goodbye. I’m sure I’ll end up speaking to you again, but I’m done with your lecture.”

Steve shook his head, but hung up without another word. A part of Daisy wanted to sob. As much as they hadn’t been a proper couple in months it devastated her to know that she just well and truly broke up with Steve, possibly the kindest and most compassionate person ever to be born. It was in both their best interests, but it hurt. Still Daisy didn’t cry. She wasn’t going to let herself get all upset over a little breakup. She and Steve would never have worked out. They were just too different… or too similar. One way or another they were both too devoted to their work to have the time or energy to be in a relationship.

That wasn’t exactly true of course. Daisy had nothing but time, though she certainly didn’t have energy. She didn’t even have a job to be addicted to, not technically, not anymore. She’d be lucky if anyone would ever hire her again. Most likely she’d just spend the rest of her life working for her father, going out of her mind with boredom. Not that that really was possible either, because Daisy had already lost her mind.

A baby’s cry sounded from the next room, and Daisy went to check up on little Maria. The three-month-old began to wave her arms at the sight of her, and Daisy smiled widely. There was nothing in this world that couldn’t be fixed by Maria’s little smile. Nothing. Even Maria’s constant crying and fussing were offset by her beautiful little smile.

Daisy picked up the baby, and Maria stopped crying completely. After checking her diaper, Daisy decided that most likely Maria had just been lonely. “I know exactly how you feel,” Daisy told the little girl, bouncing her as they swayed. “But there is no reason to cry. Being lonely isn’t a bad thing. If you’re lonely than you’re not hurting anyone, and no one is hurting you. Never worry about being alone, okay pumpkin? There is nothing wrong with alone?”

Maria just kept smiling, completely oblivious to Daisy’s life advice. Daisy didn’t mind though. Maria would understand someday. She’d understand someday and hopefully live a much happier life than Daisy ever did. Daisy would make sure Maria lived a much happier life than she ever did.

“How come only one of us looks like a new mother, and it’s you?”

Daisy turned, surprised by the sound of her step-mother’s voice. Pepper Stark looked tired, but not nearly as tired as most first-time mothers would be after three months. Of course she believed that Maria had been sleeping through the night for weeks, and so it was easy for her to rest. The same could not be said of Daisy, who’d rerouted the baby monitor to her. There was no reason Pepper or her dad had to wake up whenever Maria started to fuss. Not when Daisy was going to be awake anyways.

“Daisy, you need to go to sleep,” Pepper pleaded, taking Maria from her sister and giving the girl a stern look. “You’ve been wearing the same clothes for three days now, and I can smell it. I know this is hard on you but you need to take care of yourself.”

Daisy shook her head, “I really don’t, but I’m fine Pepper. I’m really fine. I’ve just been working on something. Nothing illegal, I promise, but there are just things I’ve been looking into that…”

“Daisy. Go to sleep. Anything you’ve been working on will still be here in ten hours. If it’s that important you can just tell your father about it. I’m sure he’ll check it out, to put your mind at rest.”

Pepper put far too much faith in her husband. Daisy knew her father wouldn’t check it out; she’d already asked him to. Each time he just told her that there was nothing to look into, that being cooped up just had her anxious. Daisy disagreed, but there was nothing she could do to convince him otherwise without more proof. And she’d been so close to finding that proof. If Steve hadn’t called her she found finally have got everything she needed to prove to her dad, to S.H.I.E.L.D, to everyone that Centipede was a real issue worthy of their attention. She wasn’t crazy. She really wasn’t. They just needed to believe her. 

“Daisy, I’m not leaving until you go to bed,” Pepper told her, voice stern and unwavering. “Take a shower, put on pajamas, and sleep until your body won’t let you sleep anymore. You can’t figure anything out if you’re not thinking straight.”

Daisy knew that of course, but it didn’t mean she was any more inclined to go to sleep. Pepper’s death stare, however, was enough to get Daisy to shut her laptop and listen to her Step-mother’s directives. Pepper had cared for Daisy as if they were related for years now, and she was the one person who had yet to let Daisy down. Daisy wasn’t about to let her down.

Daisy turned on the shower, allowing it to fill the bathroom with steam as she undressed. She wasn’t stupid; she knew she looked like shit. Her ribs showed how little she ate, and all the muscle she’d built up over years of training was disappeared. She’d just shut down and she just didn’t care. What did it matter if she was ugly and unhealthy? It wasn’t like anyone saw her. It wasn’t like being beautiful and strong would help her situation. It wasn’t worth the effort. All that mattered to Daisy at the moment was proving that Centipede was a threat, and she didn’t need Vitamin C to do that.

Daisy finished stripping, struggling to pull her jeans over the stupid tracker on her ankle. She wanted to scream and smash the damn thing, but doing so would simply result in her getting in even more trouble. At least, in the end, she wasn’t in the Sandbox. They could easily have locked her up in a tiny cell with no windows and no visitors. Daisy was relatively free. She could receive visitors. She had full access to the internet, which wasn’t particularly bright on anyone’s part. She got to live in the most beautiful, high-tech, house in the world, surrounded by her family. Daisy knew she could have had it a lot worse. In the end, what was a little house arrest?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part II of "Hope forgot AO3 existed and needs to post 4 chapters to catch you up to where we are on fanfic" Enjoy!

Chapter 2  
Daisy hated to admit it, but she did feel a lot better when she woke up. It was late afternoon, not that time really mattered when you’re locked in your house for the next five years. The only reason time was relevant was because Daisy felt like she was running out of time to stop Centipede. They were not locked up in their houses. They were getting ready to do some real damage. Daisy just knew it.

If she was being perfectly honest, Daisy didn’t even remember when she’d first heard about Centipede. When she was first placed under house arrest she’d used it as a chance to get some R&R, but then months had passed. She didn’t need to rest after a while. She was restless. Daisy was used to being an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, used to helping people, fighting for the world. She didn’t know how to just sit in her house all day and browse YouTube.

It had actually been browsing YouTube, however, that got her started on her little quest. She’d been watching videos of the Avengers in action, something that was always impressive, when a suggested video came up New Superhero In Chicago. Daisy had watched it, and what she saw was incredible. A man held out an arm, lifting up a car, and pulling a young baby out from beneath it. The comment bar had been full of people claiming the whole thing was a hoax, but Daisy knew better. Daisy had seen superheroes at work, and she knew the look they got in their eye. The man in the video had that look. This man, whoever he was, was a superhero; Daisy knew it.

And from that moment forward she’d realized what the best use of her time would be. She spent her day trying to track down enhanced people, deleting videos of them off the internet, trying to help them keep their secrecy. Occasionally you’d get someone who wanted to be exposed, her dad was a perfect example of that, but most of these incredible people just wanted to live their lives. Daisy wanted to let them, so she did everything she could to help them hide. She’d set up dozens of programs on her laptop to immediately delete videos of enhanced people, and she’d even managed to get in contact with a few, directing them to S.H.I.E.L.D resources, or sometimes telling them how best to stay off S.H.I.E.L.D’s radar. Whatever they needed Daisy would provide, all from the comfort of her house. 

Things had gotten a lot more complicated when Daisy began to connect enhanced to Cybertek. From the beginning Daisy could tell the company was bad news, and their connection to dozens of people becoming enhanced was impossible to miss. It was through Cybertek that Daisy discovered Project Centipede, their, and her, newest mission. Daisy didn’t know half as much about it as she would have liked, but she knew it was bad news. She wasn’t opposed to enhanced individuals. One does not become evil because they have superpowers. With great power, however, comes great responsibility. In Daisy’s mind those who had powers needed to be protected and guided, but new people shouldn’t be acquiring power. She more than anyone had spent years desperate to gain superpowers, and she more than anyone knew why that was a bad idea. People weren’t meant to be enhanced. Project Centipede was all about giving more people unimaginable power, and not at all about making sure the people getting this power were capable of handling it. It was exactly the sort of thing Daisy felt S.H.I.E.L.D needed to shut down, but no one listened to her anymore. No one seemed to remember that she had been the one to expose the head of the World Security Council as a member of Hydra. No one had ever cared that she stopped Project Insight, stopped the slaughter of anyone who wouldn’t cooperate. They hadn’t during her trial, and they didn’t now that she was warning them about a real danger. It seemed that everyone who trusted her felt that Daisy was still just a kid, and everyone else just saw her as a girl who read classified files and spilled government secrets.

“I broke the law to tell my father, the Avenger, that the head of the World Security Council was a freaking Nazi, and you want to put me in jail?”

Daisy would never forget the words she said to the Federal Agents who arrested her for treason, nor would she ever forget that they actually did. No one seemed to care that her breaking the rules had saved the lives of millions. All they cared about was making an example of her, and making her go away. 

Well Daisy was gone now. She was out of sight, but no one, no one could stop her from protecting people. Even if no one believed her, even if it was impossible for Daisy to send someone to help, she’d find a way to stop Project Centipede. House arrest of not she was Daisy Stark, and she was going to do what she had to. After all, her father’s greatest creation was built while he was in prison. So too could be Daisy’s.

Daisy got out of bed and dressed. She still looked terrible, but she did look better than she had before. There were voices in the kitchen, Pepper, her Dad, and at least one other person, so Daisy figured she had to be at least somewhat presentable. If she got a little bit of coffee she could function as human until they all left her alone to finish what she’d been doing last night. She needed to finish; before it was too late.

“I didn’t think you were coming home until tomorrow,” Daisy told her dad, grabbing some pizza out of the fridge and calling it her breakfast and lunch. “And who did I hear you talking to?”

“Me,” Daisy turned around to see Dr. Andrew Garner standing in the living room, holding Maria and talking to Pepper. Daisy rolled her eyes. The psychiatrist looked fresh and clean, just as he always did, and it just pissed Daisy off a little bit. Their little chats would be a lot more fun if he looked as much like a trainwreck as Daisy did.

Dr. Garner was Daisy’s court-mandated psychiatrist, and one of the stipulations of her house arrest. He used to work for S.H.I.E.L.D, but had gone into the private sector a few years ago. Unfortunately he was basically the only psychiatrist in the world with the security clearance to listen to all the things Daisy might need to talk about, and so he’d been called back into the line of duty because of her. They had to meet at least once a week, but it had only been four days. Considering he lived on the opposite side of the country, coming here was a struggle. Presumably he had come with her dad. Presumably Daisy was not about to eat her pizza and get right back to obsessing over Centipede.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
Doctor Garner always insisted that he and Daisy have their sessions outside. She pretended to mind it, but she did enjoy the sunlight. In all honestly there was no excuse for her to be Vitamin C deficient. She had a beautiful porch that spent the whole day in the Malibu sun, and Daisy simply didn’t go out there. She didn’t go out there because she couldn’t see her laptop screen out there. When push came to shove Daisy knew her health was suffering because of her Centipede obsession. She just knew it was important enough that she didn’t really care. 

“So, let me guess, Pepper called my Dad this morning, freaked him out, and he dragged you out here because everyone thinks I’m going insane.”

Dr. Garner gave her a stern look. He’d told her from the beginning that he hated when she used the word ‘insane’. He’d spent too many years watching enhanced individuals completely lose their sense of reality to apply the word to anything less than that. “No one thinks that Daisy, and you know it. But it’s understandable that you would be under a lot of stress considering the situation. It’s been nine months, and I think you’re reaching a point where you’re being forced to accept the fact that you can’t just go back to your life.”

“I’ve accepted that. Anyways I’m like the only Millennial who is lucky enough to actually be able to hide in my house and never go out. I know a lot of people who would love that chance. Why would I want to go back into the world? I think the world proved its colors when it punished me for stopping Nazis.”

Doctor Garner nodded, “We’ve talked at length about how you feel betrayed by your country. You’re not wrong to feel that way. But I wonder if you’re beginning to feel that way about the others around you. Have you been pushing your friends and family away because you feel as if they’ve let you down as well?”

Daisy hated psychiatrists. She’d seen more than one while in the foster system, and even as she aged they kept coming back into her life, psychoanalyzing her. It made her insane, mostly because they were never right. “No. I know my dad still has a whole team of lawyers working to reduce my sentence. Everyone I know fought this sentence. It’s not their fault.”

“Then why haven’t you been talking to them? Why has everyone I spoken to said you’re pushing them away? I got a message from Steve on my way here. He said you’d broken up with him in a fit? Does that sound like rational behavior to you?”

Daisy particularly hated Dr. Garner because he was constantly in contact with everyone Daisy knew. “You know I do feel more than a little betrayed by the fact that everyone goes to my court-mandated psychiatrist whenever I do something they don’t like. Yes I broke up with Steve, but it wasn’t irrational. He lives in D.C. I live here, under house arrest. I can’t pop out to see him on the weekends. He stops by when he can, but it’s not frequent. And the only thing he ever talks to me about is how worried he is about me. That’s all anyone ever seems to want to talk to me about! I don’t talk to people because I have nothing to talk about! I can’t talk about my old job, because that’s what got me locked up. I could tell everyone about how I spent three days matching socks because I had nothing better to do. Dr. Garner, I’m not living a life. If I had something to talk about I would, but there is just nothing for me to talk about.”

Dr. Garner nodded, and his calm demeanor just pissed Daisy off. Why was everyone so calm all the time? It was obnoxious. Sometimes she wished the Hulk would come and visit her; at least he knew how to properly get angry. “Well why don’t you talk to them about whatever had you so involved that you stayed up for three days straight working on it? Obviously there is something going on in that mind of yours.”

Okay, Daisy had to admit he was right, but it also felt like a low blow. If only he knew though. “I’ve tried telling people about it. I’ve told my dad. I’ve told Steve. I’ve told all of the Avengers actually. No one listens to me. They all just say that I’ve been working constantly since I was fifteen and that I need to learn how to be normal, which is rich mind you coming from a team of superheroes.”

“Then tell me about it. I don’t have powers. I don’t think you’re overworked, I think you’re bored. Tell me about it, and I’ll see what I can do.”

Daisy knew that there was nothing he could do about it, but if he was going to be obnoxious and ask she’d tell him. “I’ve been working to protect enhanced individuals, and I’ve been tracking a company that I think is giving people abilities.”

Dr. Garner puckered his lips, “And when you told your dad and the others about this what did they say?”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “They all looked into it and said that Project Centipede is doing nothing of the sort. But I know they’re wrong. I was so close to getting proof last night. So close.”

“Daisy, your father and S.H.I.E.L.D know what they’re doing. If they looked into it and found nothing then there probably is nothing to be found. Have you considered the possibility that you haven’t dropped it because you want there to be something wrong, because you just want to be useful.”

Daisy stood up and began pacing. She wanted to yell at Dr. Garner, but there was a small, doubting part of her that wondered if maybe, just maybe, he was right. Her dad and S.H.I.E.L.D did know what they were doing. They said that they had looked into Project Centipede, and she didn’t have any reason to think they were lying. Perhaps she was just wrong about this whole thing. Perhaps she was just bored and looking to get back the purpose she’d had whenever helping people as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent.

Yet Daisy knew, somewhere deep down she just knew, that her suspicions about Project Centipede were right. They were making enhanced individuals, or they would be soon. “I have been around stuff like this since I was fifteen. I know that there is something wrong. I just need everyone to stop worrying about me long enough for me to do my job!”

It was the wrong thing to say, and Daisy knew it. She sat back down, but she couldn’t quite look Dr. Garner in the eye. Not when she knew exactly what he was going to say. In his defense Dr. Garner was gentle about it, and he reached out to squeeze Daisy’s hand before he said it. “Daisy, this is no longer your job. You’re no longer a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. You need to accept that this is someone else’s responsibility now. Let them do their job, and find something else that you can do. Daisy Stark can never be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D again.”

It was like a knife. Of course Daisy had known it. She’d given up her future to go to the S.H.I.E.L.D Academy instead of MIT. She’d lost her place at S.H.I.E.L.D when she was convicted of sharing classified information. She’d only be twenty-five when her sentence was up, but Daisy would never be eligible for a job around classified material again. Legally she wasn’t even eligible for most jobs at Stark Industries! Daisy’s whole future was ruined because she’d been bold enough to fight a Nazi. The Nazi died, Hydra was routed from S.H.I.E.L.D, but the government still wanted someone to blame. Daisy had been that someone, and she’d lost her future because of it. She’d lost everything she’d ever worked for because of it. Daisy Stark could never be an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, and she had no clue how to be anything else. 

“Daisy, I’m going to talk to your monitoring officials, see if I can get you out of the house for a day. I’ll take you to LA. The chance of scenery would do you go. And then I want you to start thinking about your options for the future. You could enroll in an online university and get a degree. Once your sentence is over you’ll be vastly overqualified for any job you want.”

“The only job I want is the one I can’t have.”

Dr. Garner nodded, “I know Daisy. I know. But you’re going to have to start looking for a new path. You might find that there are better things out there than S.H.I.E.L.D. I found that out. A lot of people do. We’ll start by going to LA. I think once you see how normal life can be you’ll discover you can accept it.”

Daisy doubted it. She doubted she’d ever want to be normal, or that she ever could be. But if Dr. Garner was going to take her to LA… well Daisy wasn’t going to object. After all Project Centipede was based in LA. If Daisy was wrong about Project Centipede then she’d accept that she had to find a new calling, but if she was right… if she was right it might just be enough to get her old job back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go. Now you're all caught up with Fanfiction

Chapter 4  
Stepping out the front door felt so odd for Daisy. A part of her felt like she was about to have a brigade of Marines come crashing down, or like her tracker would beep and then send a volt of electricity through her. Nothing of the sort happened. She had permission to go with Dr. Garner to LA. She had permission to step across that threshold and exist for a day. It just felt so odd. After nine months Daisy was free… but only for the day.

So Daisy planned on making the most of her day. She knew exactly where Centipede was located and she was going to catch them in the act. She couldn’t of course tell Dr. Garner that she intended to do so, however, so she found a restaurant and planted herself and some cameras, there. Hopefully someone would show up while she was there, and if not her cameras were linked through J.A.R.V.I.S and she could easily access any footage. If she could get facial ID for someone who went there than just maybe she could get their email or phone number and then….

BOOM!

Dr. Garner immediately covered Daisy with himself at the sound, but as the dust settled Daisy pushed the Doctor off of her and looked around. The warehouse where Centipede was based had just gone up in flames, but that wasn’t the most incredible thing. Daisy watched as a man jumped out of the warehouse, carrying a woman in his arms. Dr. Garner ran over to held the woman, and Daisy followed, but for a very different reason. The man who’d pulled her from the fire ran off, and Daisy dashed after him. Suddenly nine months of laziness disappeared. She was still an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, she still had strength and training beyond compare, she was still Daisy Stark.

Daisy caught up with the man, a block away, darting in front of him to block his path. He’d slowed to a walk and was acting perfect normal, but Daisy wasn’t fooled. She knew. Oh how she knew. “Stop, please, I just want to talk to you.”

The man stopped, but gave Daisy a strange look. Or not so strange actually. It was a look Daisy received quite frequently, and it was always followed by the same phrase. “Do I know you? You look familiar?”

There was a time when Daisy would have just admitted to who she was and told the man that her father, that Iron Man himself, wanted to help him, but those days were past. America was split 50/50 about whether Daisy was a hero or a traitor. She didn’t want this guy to be in that latter half and hate her on sight. “No. But I just saw what you did. It was incredible. You’re a hero, but what they did to you is very dangerous. If they’re doing this to more people, if they’re doing it to people who aren’t as selfless as you… we could end up with a real problem.”

The man looked terrified, and stepped away from Daisy. “Look, just leave me alone. I don’t want nothing to do with this crazy shit. I just wanted to be strong enough to get my job back. And I am, so let me go.”

“You need to tell me who is funding Project Centipede, please,” Daisy pleaded, but she already knew she was getting nothing from this guy. He was grateful for the powers he’d been given. He didn’t know that they could be a burden as well. “Please, let me help you. It’s dangerous to be enhanced and alone.”

The man shook his head though, and pushed right past Daisy. “You don’t know anything about me. Don’t follow me kid. You’ll regret it.”

Daisy didn’t follow him. She didn’t have to. The second he bumped into her she’d reached into his pocket and as he walked away she had his wallet right in her hand. Mike Peterson- he hadn’t heard the last word from Daisy yet. 

Daisy knew she had to get back to Dr. Garner before she got in trouble, so she pocketed the wallet and told herself to forget about it until she got home. Ironic as it was she couldn’t wait to get back to her house arrest. At least it made it less suspicious when she just sat around on her laptop. 

Dr. Garner had put the woman pulled from the building in an ambulance before he realized Daisy was missing. For a moment he worried that she’d taken the chance to run for it, but honestly that just didn’t seem like the kind of thing she would do. It turned out he was right because she showed back up a minute later. “Where have you been? You know you’re not supposed to leave my sight.”

Daisy put her hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry. I was trying to catch the enhanced. I guess I’m a little out of shape though. I didn’t quite catch him. This just proves I was right. The lab that blew up belonged to Project Centipede. That’s why I brought us here.”

Dr. Garner shook his head, “I take you out of the house so you can clear your head and you continue to obsess over this Centipede thing… Be glad you’re right, or I’d be a lot more furious. But you need to put this away now. I’ll make the calls to S.H.I.E.L.D. I’ll inform them that their initial investigation was wrong and that they need to keep looking into things. But it’s time for you to go home and forget this. You need to put S.H.I.E.L.D behind you.”

\--  
“WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO UNDERSTAND THAT I JUST CAN’T FORGET ABOUT S.H.I.E.L.D?” Daisy shouted at her father. Dr. Garner returned Daisy home right after the explosion, and somehow her father already knew that she’d been hunting enhanced. He’d started rampaging about how she was out and needed to take advantage of the freedom that gave her. It had devolved into a shouting match between the two, and Pepper wasn’t even there to break it up because she’d taken Maria to the pediatrician for a check-up.

“I KNOW THAT YOU’RE STRUGGLING BUT CAN’T YOU SEE THIS IS A GOOD THING?” Tony shouted at his daughter. “YOU’RE FREE. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!”

“I WANT TO BE A PART OF S.H.I.E.L.D AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN I’M FREE? I’M UNDER FRIGGING HOUSE ARREST!”

Okay, she was right on that one and Tony knew it. It had been a poor choice of words and he clearly wasn’t getting anywhere with the shouting. He and Daisy were too alike in that regard. “Daisy you’re been fighting since you were fifteen. When I was in Afghanistan you devoted yourself to your schoolwork. You stopped trying to do normal things. How many friends have you had in the last six years that weren’t Avengers? None!”

“That’s not true,” Daisy countered. “I had friends at the Academy. Fitz and Simmons were both my friends. We’re still friends.”

“Oh yes, because the other two genius seventeen-year-old future S.H.I.E.L.D agents totally count as normal friends,” Tony snarked. “I’m serious Daisy. The reason you’re so miserable is because you don’t have any hobbies. You’ve always been obsessed with S.H.I.E.L.D. You need to stop now. It’s already destroyed you once. Don’t try to get it back.”

Daisy rolled her eyes and plopped down on the couch. “Don’t talk to me about being a workaholic Dad, you spend more time in the basement than I do in this house, and I’m under house arrest.”

“Which is a good thing, because that means if I take away your internet access you’ll have no way of continuing this obsession!”

Daisy stared at him. He had to be kidding, right? He couldn’t take away her internet. She was under house arrest; she’d literally have nothing else to do. “I’m twenty-one years old. You don’t have the right to do this.”

“Actually I do because this is my house and you’re legally required to live here. Read a book. Come help me with my work. But you’re not getting on the internet for the rest of the week. J.A.R.V.I.S, Daisy is to be incapable of accessing the internet in any form until I say otherwise.”

“You literally can’t do this,” Daisy wanted to cry, but out of fury or sadness she didn’t know. “I’m better at code than you. I’ll just hack J.A.R.V.I.S!”

Tony considered that for a moment, and then noticed Daisy’s laptop on the table next to him. Before Daisy knew what was happening he’d picked it up and smashed it on the ground. “I’ll buy you a new one once you get your internet privileges back, but right now you’re going cold turkey.”

Daisy could not believe what was happening. Her dad had snapped. There was no other explanation for what was happening other than her dad having hit his head too hard and have brain damage. This was insane. Her father couldn’t… her father wouldn’t…

In all the years Daisy and Tony had lived together, he’d never punished Daisy. Usually when they fought it was because he’d been irresponsible. Daisy had never, never done something she wasn’t supposed to do. Of course the rules of the household were pretty lax, therefore making it harder to break them, but Daisy never had. She’d gotten her ass handed to her by Natasha for doing dumb things, but never by her dad. Daisy literally could not wrap her mind around her father punishing her, especially where she hadn’t done anything wrong. What was the crime in trying to save lives?

“I hate you,” Daisy said, her voice low and steady. “Absolutely hate you.”

Tony bit his lip and shook his head, “Fine, I’ve been told I’m not a good parent if you don’t. But the time has come for you to move on Daisy, and this is the only way I know of that you will. If you can go a week without obsessing over something relating to S.H.I.E.L.D we’ll talk about getting you a new laptop. But until then you’re done. I knew you were too young to go to the Academy. I knew this wouldn’t end well. S.H.I.E.L.D was created by my father; it was never going to be good for you. So hate me all you want, but this is in your best interest. And I’m not sorry. It’s time Daisy. It’s time to move on.”


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
While the Stark family had their little crisis, ‘Team Bus’ were on the other side of the country having a crisis of their own. Phil Coulson knew that this first mission would be rough. He knew that it would take time for everyone to get to know each other, to get to trust each other. Nick Fury had said he could have any S.H.I.E.L.D agent that wasn’t Maria or an Avenger. Of course that took away three of Coulson’s top operatives, and so he’d had to do a bit more research.

May was an obvious choice. She’d retired after Bahrain, but Coulson needed her. They had always been partners. Coulson and May, Romanoff and Barton-they were the S.H.I.E.L.D dream teams. Coulson needed her. She was going to be the team’s lynchpin. That didn’t seem to be the case, however. May had come- to fly the plane-but only because Coulson hadn’t given her a choice. He’d point blank said she could come with him or leave S.H.I.E.L.D. May could never leave S.H.I.E.L.D, and so she’d come, grudgingly. Her attitude, however, wasn’t ideal for a lynchpin. No May was hiding in the cockpit, refusing to just put the bus on autopilot. 

Fitz and Simmons got along well at least, but Coulson knew they would. They were that rare par marked down as having to be transferred together. The only other pair like that Coulson knew was Barton and Romanoff. Of course in her case that had been a safety precaution, because it took well over a decade for S.H.I.E.L.D to trust her enough to send her out alone. It was different for Fitzsimmons. Neither of them were a security threat. Neither of them was incapable of working alone. They simply were at their best together. Coulson had known that years ago, back when Daisy first told him about them. 

If Coulson was being honest, Daisy was the reason he’d picked Agents Fitz and Simmons. Of course they were immensely qualified and had stellar recommendations, but he knew them from Daisy. He knew that if they were friends with Daisy that meant they weren’t just brilliant and driven- they were good. 

Daisy. If Coulson was being honest Daisy would have been his first pick for the team, even over May. He’d known her since she was just a kid, and he was largely responsible for her joining S.H.I.E.L.D in the first place. He also knew that she needed to be out doing fieldwork, not stuck behind a desk. Of course it was that desk job which had gotten her in trouble. Coulson had been recovering in Tahiti when Daisy exposed Secretary Pierce as hydra. He’d been so proud when he heard, and devastated when Congress turned on her and locked her up. Now Daisy couldn’t be a part of S.H.I.E.L.D at all, never mind a part of Coulson’s secret little team.

Of course there was also the little fact that Daisy, and all the Avengers, thought he was dead. That was a decision Coulson definitely disapproved of. In a certain sense he got it. He had died, if only for a few minutes, but even once he came back he could easily have died again, for real. The Avengers had to focus on stopping Loki and saving the world, not worrying about his recovery. Coulson personally wished they’d been told in the weeks after, but Fury wasn’t wrong when he said it would make things more difficult for Nat and Clint. He’d been out a long time, and even now he was different. For people like them a clean break, his death, hurt a lot less than him having to be less than he was before.

But the same was not true for Daisy. Daisy was so young, and despite dedicating her life to S.H.I.E.L.D Daisy wasn’t an agent, not in her heart. In her heart she was just a kid searching everywhere for family. If Coulson was paralyzed Daisy wouldn’t look at him any different. And Daisy already carried so much guilt inside of her. Daisy actually reminded him a lot of Romanoff. Both of them threw themselves into S.H.I.E.L.D to make amends. To live well for all the people who had died for them. Of course in Natasha’s case she was actually responsible for the deaths. Daisy never was. Lots of people had died around Daisy, but it had never been her fault. The girl didn’t live like that though. Daisy surrounded herself with ghosts, and she fought to prove she was worth dying for. Coulson, therefore, worried that Daisy had been living in his memory since his death. Had she been thinking about what he would do when she hacked into S.H.I.E.L.D files and accidentally discovered Nazis? Coulson didn’t know, he really didn’t, but he knew Daisy well enough to know it was always a possibility. He knew that she was the one out of everyone who needed to know he was okay. He just wished he could tell her. 

He mostly, however, wished that she was there to bridge the already widening gap between Fitzsimmons and Ward. Agent Ward was the one member of his team Coulson was worried about. He’d read the man’s file and was more than a little impressed by his fortitude, but he was still hesitant. Agent Ward was another one who just didn’t want to be there. As Coulson moved to interrupt the little fight that had broken out between his agents, he wished once more for Daisy. She knew Fitzsimmons, but she also knew hard-ass Operation Agents. Daisy would have been able to get through to both sides. Unfortunately Daisy was locked up in Malibu and Coulson was dead, so they really couldn’t have a nice chat. 

“Hey, hey, that’s enough,” Coulson told the agents, glaring them down. “Agent Ward, why don’t you go and see if the gym is satisfactory. Agents Fitz, Simmons, continue unloading. I just got a call that we’re heading to Los Angeles, and I want you all ready to go when we get there.”

“Yes sir,” Agent Simmons chirped, her eyes bright at the assignment. “What is it, if you don’t mine me asking?”

Coulson smirked a little, “We don’t really know. There was an explosion at a lab and then an unregistered enhanced jumped out of the building. It’s our job to track him down and find out if he has anything to do with the explosion.”

Agent Simmons balked, “Oh God. Was anyone hurt?”

“Luckily no, not this time but if this guy is bad news than it’s going to be a race against the clock.”

Ward rolled his eyes as he backed out of the science lab, “Isn’t it always?”

Coulson pretended to miss the annoyed glare Fitzsimmons gave the gruff agent. He figured he should go and see if he could get any more details before they landed in LA, but his thoughts about Daisy lingered. What was the girl up to now that she wasn’t allowed to work for S.H.I.E.L.D, her only life goal? How was she coping?

“I’m sorry sir, but did you need something else?” Agent Fitz asked, clearly noticing Coulson lingering. 

Coulson shook his head and went to leave, but stopped himself. “Sorry, yes. I’m aware that you both were friends with Daisy Stark at the Academy. I was just wondering if either of you were still in contact with her.”

Fitz and Simmons looked at each other quickly, and then down at the floor. In the end Fitz answered, though they clearly often spoke for each other. “No sir, of course not. It’s against S.H.I.E.L.D protocol to talk to disgraced agents.”

They were right of course. Coulson didn’t doubt that Barton, Romanoff, and Rogers still spoke to her, and obviously her father did, but other agents would get in trouble for doing so. “Right of course. This wasn’t a test, just so you know. That’s not my style.”

Simmons slouched a little bit, clearly relieved by the words, but she and Fitz still seemed anxious at the sheer thought. It made Coulson wonder if what they said was exactly true, but he also doubted Simmons knew how to tell a lie. He went to leave, but was surprised when now Agent Simmons stopped him. “Sorry sir, but I just wanted to ask… you knew Daisy, right? She mentioned you a few times.”

Coulson nodded, silently thrilled that Daisy cared enough to mention him. He’d often wondered if the girl thought of him the way he thought of her. He doubted it. She’d been impressionable at fifteen, sure, but Coulson had never seen a teenager with such grit before her. She’d undoubtedly made more of an impression on him than he had on her. It was good to know he’d made any impression at all. “Yes. I was the agent assigned to investigate exactly how her father escaped from Afghanistan. I was there at the beginning of Iron Man. That one is actually Daisy’s fault if you’re curious. I gave Stark note cards with a cover-up.”

Fitz laughed at that, “I’ve met the man. He was never going to use note cards. Daisy didn’t need to encourage him.”

No, no Coulson figured Fitz was probably right. “I’ll see you both when we land,” Coulson told them, heading from the lab. He needed to do his research before they landed. He didn’t know who owned the exploded lab, who the man was, who he might have for witnesses… there was a lot of work to be done.

A few videos of the event were already up on the internet, though someone was pulling them down as fast as they could. Coulson found that odd. S.H.I.E.L.D was in the habit of removing videos of enhanced, sure, but something about this just seemed different. They were coming down in record time with expert skill. Of course that should have made it seem even more like the work of S.H.I.E.L.D, but it just didn’t. S.H.I.E.L.D was sloppy about protecting enhanced. They were usually more concerned with getting them on the Index than keeping their identities off the internet. Whoever was taking down these videos had a different goal. 

Luckily S.H.I.E.L.D had stored one of the better videos before it came off the internet, and Coulson finally took the chance to review it. The video started only moments after the explosion, and gave a clear view of the enhanced. He wore a dark hood so his face wasn’t visible, but he was African-American, tall, and clearly well built without superpowers. 

But he wasn’t what gathered Coulson’s attention. There were two other figures, just in the frame of the video, that Coulson had to zoom in on to make sure his wandering thoughts weren’t causing him to hallucinate. They weren’t. Her hair was longer than it had been last time he’d seen her, and she looked pale as a ghost, but it was most definitely Daisy. The man with her was more recognizable, though Coulson was no less shocked to see him. He hadn’t seen Andrew since he and May got their divorce, but there he was, right on sight of the explosion, with Daisy, who was supposed to be locked up in her house in Malibu.

Phil Coulson sighed and picked up the phone. It seemed Nick Fury had some explaining to do, and maybe, just maybe, this would be the excuse Coulson needed to tell his little Starkling that he’d survived after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, I am aware that it's not Saturday. I'm not that confused all the time. I'm just throwing out an extra update because I've written 10 chapters in the past 24 hours and figured I might as well share something with you while I'm on a roll.

Chapter 6

The last time Daisy was this miserable had been when her father was being held hostage in Afghanistan. She was jittery, withdrawn, and just plain miserable. Her father, of course, insisted that this was just proof she was addicted to S.H.I.E.L.D as she was basically just experiencing withdrawal. Daisy had snapped back that she would have like to see how well he did without technology, but Tony had only laughed and let his daughter storm from the room.

Tony Stark was proud of himself. He knew that his actions, while seemingly extreme, were in Daisy's best interest. She used an external hard drive, so it wasn't like she'd lost anything when he smashed her laptop. As for the device itself, well he was going to buy her a new, better one in a week, so what was the hard? Daisy needed to be cut off from any mention of S.H.I.E.L.D and of its work if she was going to regain any semblance of sanity. If smashing her laptop and cutting her off the internet was the only way… well so be it. She was done with S.H.I.E.L.D, free. It had almost destroyed her. Tony was glad to put it in the past even if Daisy wasn't.

The conditions of Daisy's house arrest meant all visitors, minus Dr. Garner and a handful of others, had to be pre-approved. It was therefore more than a little surprising to hear the doorbell ring. Tony went to answer it anyways, however, and was none too pleased to find Nick freaking Fury on his doorstep. Fury of course was one of the few people who needed to have free access to Tony, but that didn't mean Tony liked the man. Plus Pepper was out at a doctor's appointment with Maria, so if Tony was needed for something Avengers then Daisy would have to be left alone. That simply wasn't an option at the moment. Currently she was in her room reading, which was progress, but if he left to go do Avenger things she'd access his computers for sure. Never mind the fact that Fury, as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, ruined Daisy's cold-turkey break just by walking in the door.

"This better be important," Tony told the Director. "My souffle is probably burning."

Fury was, of course, above rolling his eye, but he might as well have with the look he gave. "Then get back to it. I need to speak with Daisy."

Tony cursed mentally, and glared at Fury. No. No, this was not happening. "Well than you're out of luck. Daisy needs to stop thinking of herself as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, and you showing up to speak to her does the opposite of that."

Fury glared, and looked ready to just push past Tony and into the house. Perhaps he would have, but Nick Fury knew that there was lots of security hidden where he couldn't see. It would indisputably be bad for his health to try and force his way in. Of course that didn't mean the possibility was off-limits, but it meant that negotiation was a much better way to get what he wanted. "This is important Stark. Lives are at stake."

Tony Stark was not a callous man. He was in a very real sense a superhero, and that required massive amounts of self-sacrifice. The key, however, was the 'self' part. Tony didn't care if he died; he never had. He cared a tiny bit maybe, because his death would hurt Pepper, Daisy, and Maria, but Tony Stark would die any day if it would save someone else. He would not, on the other hand, under any circumstance, sacrifice Pepper, Daisy, or Maria to save someone else. Tony would rather the entire world to perish, leaving his girls to be the only people left alive, than to see one of them hurt. Unfortunately Daisy had inherited his lack of self-preservation, and was more than willing to die for the greater good. As her father it was Tony's job to prevent such a horror from occurring.

"I don't care. Daisy's sanity is at stake. You walked into this house when she was fifteen years old and you broke her. Now I'm trying to pick up the pieces, and I can't do that with you here."

Fury didn't budge. With his one good eye, he stared Tony Stark down, but neither man was afraid. "I know you just want what's best for Daisy. I do too. You think I'm not furious about what happened? I am. But she can help people, and if you really knew your daughter you'd know letting her help people is what's best for her."

Tony assumed Daisy couldn't hear, or else she would have come running at the sound of Fury's voice, but he stepped out of the house and shut the door anyways. There were some things he had to make sure she wasn't hearing. "Sorry if I don't take the advice of the man who thought making my daughter forget her family was what was in her best interest."

"And I'm not sure I was wrong. If you don't think this angsty teenage bullshit is related to that Hydra brainwashing than you're dumber than I thought!" Fury answered without missing a beat. "I told you it wouldn't be as far gone as if we'd wiped it all. You and the other Avengers are triggers. It's not the house making her erratic; it's you."

Tony shook his head, completely unwilling to believe it. He'd tested Daisy. She truly believed that she spent a month unconscious after being attacked by the Winter Soldier (if Tony ever got his hands on that guy…). Daisy truly didn't remember being brainwashed by Hydra, so she couldn't still have their conditioning. Anyone would go insane trapped inside a house for nine months. Daisy was just struggling, but not because she was near her father. It was good for Daisy to be home; God knows she never spent enough time there at any point in her life. "I think it's time you go," Tony told Fury coldly. "J.A.R.V.I.S, don't let Director Fury inside."

"I'm sorry Mr. Stark, but I cannot do that," the AI chimed back, ever cheerful for an artificial intelligence. "Daisy programmed me years ago to permit entry to men looking for her even if you try to send them away. It is part of her Boyfriend Protocol."

Tony sometimes hated his daughter. She'd programmed J.A.R.V.I.S to do so many things when she was younger, and he hadn't a clue. Really though this one was just dangerous? What if some creepy stalker got past security and Tony was trying to turn them away? Clearly teenage Daisy had not thought it through. Even more unfortunate was that Fury just smirked, pushed Tony aside, and walked in calling out, "Daisy Stark. I need to speak with you."

Tony actually wondered sometimes why murder was illegal. Daisy looked confused at first as she walked out of her room, but she began grinning when she saw Director Fury standing there. Tony wished there was something, anything, he could do, but there wasn't. Daisy's detox had been contaminated and they'd have to start all over again.

"Ten minutes, and then I'm pulling out my suit," Tony told the Director, but mostly his willfully wayward daughter. Then he disappeared down into his workshop to start undoing all of Daisy's stupid protocols and suit up if Fury didn't leave quickly enough.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Daisy knew she should have been thrilled to see Nick Fury, but, surprisingly, she wasn't. (Not that she'd ever admit so to her father). She'd been in the middle of reading a book, a real life novel, when interrupted. Daisy used to love reading, but she couldn't remember the last time she read something from fun. She still read a lot. She read lots of books on coding, on S.H.I.E.L.D. Hell reading S.H.I.E.L.D files was what got her in this mess in the first place. Despite this Daisy truly didn't know the last time she'd read a book for fun. She'd probably been fifteen, maybe sixteen. She certainly hadn't read one since she joined S.H.I.E.L.D five years before.

It felt good actually, to just fall into a story. She was reading The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan, and devouring it fast. Percy Jackson had been one of her favorite series as a kid, and she'd read the whole first set. The Last Olympian was probably the last book she actually read. She read it the day it came out, only a few weeks before she'd met Natasha and joined S.H.I.E.L.D. A year and a half later when the new series started Daisy had been at the Academy spending all her time trying to be strong enough to pass Natasha's Operations class. She'd known the book came out, but never read it, or the next two books in the series after that. The fourth book was coming out in about a month, and Daisy figured it was as good a time as any to catch up on them.

Actually Daisy had assumed she'd start reading and not actually like it. She was no longer thirteen after all. When she first ready Percy Jackson she'd been a teenage orphan. There had been times actually when Daisy wondered if maybe, just maybe, as crazy as it might be, that she was a demigod. She'd come up with this story about herself actually, to explain how it all worked. She was a daughter of Hades, born despite it being against the rules. Her mother had died, but Hades had ensured she'd safely reach the orphanage. It was because of her demigod nature that everyone hated her, that she never fit in. People were scared of her because she was a daughter of Hades. She kept getting shuffled from school to school and home to home because that's just what happened to demigods. Her grades were bad because of that too.

Daisy had never really believed it of course, but she'd wanted to. There were some days, when she was feeling particularly lonely, that she just imagined a satyr coming in, revealing to her that she truly was a demigod, and whisking her away to Camp Half Blood where she'd not only have family, but a purpose. She'd be able to fight monsters, to help people, to be a hero.

In some ways Daisy's imagination hadn't been entirely wrong. There were many similarities between Hades and Tony Stark. Her mother really had died, but not before getting her to the orphanage. She had been shuffled around because it was too dangerous for her to stay in one place for too long. She actually did have something mysterious and different in her past, though she still didn't know quite what made her an 0-8-4.

The Percy Jackson books, like Harry Potter or any of the series she'd read as a kid, had been an escape. She'd had nothing then, no purpose, no friends, and certainly no family. Now she had both friends and family, but she wished she didn't because she was back to having no purpose. S.H.I.E.L.D had been her purpose, but that was gone now. Except it wasn't entirely, because Nick Fury was in her house, so Daisy wasn't quite sure why she was disappointed to see him. She was though. Despite the 'I win' grin she gave her father, Daisy wished she hadn't been interrupted from her tale of heroes to speak to someone who, undoubtedly, wanted to know about superheroes.

"Director Fury, this is a surprise," Daisy told the man as her father scowled and disappeared downstairs. "Is something wrong?"

Nick Fury gave her a hard look, and Daisy immediately knew why he was here. Dr. Garner must have told him, or someone else had, but Nick Fury knew Daisy was there when the Project Centipede lab exploded, and he knew her presence wasn't just a coincidence. "Miss Stark you know you were a great agent. You know I fought against losing you. So I hope that means you'll still be cooperative and you can just tell me about the man in the hood."

Daisy should have told him. She still thought of herself as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hadn't she been investigating Project Centipede so she could prove she was still loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D, still worthy of working for them? There was literally no logical explanation for Daisy holding back information from Director Fury himself, and yet, and yet she replied. "I know nothing about him that you don't. I'm sure you've had Coms agents run facial recognition on any video that have hit the internet. Ask them who he is. I don't know. I didn't have a clue what was going to happen. Dr. Garner got me out for the day. We were just relaxing and then the thing exploded. I chased after the guy because that's what I've been trained to do, but he was enhanced. He was faster. I have no idea who he is or what he is. Sorry."

"Hmm," Fury replied, using his one good eye to stare down Daisy. "That's odd because your father seems to think it was something else. He seems to think you were running your own op."

Once again Daisy didn't know why she was unwilling to come clean, but she wasn't. "My dad is always paranoid. Ever since the Winter Soldier, the man who killed his parents, put me in a coma he's been extra paranoid. I really don't know anything."

"Just like you don't know how to hack into that GPS tracker on your ankle and confuse it into thinking you've never left the house," Fury replied, clearly not amused. (Then again, Fury was never amused. His eternal state was 'done-with-this-shit.) "Miss Stark I'm not stupid. You're the best hacker on this planet. If you're as upset about this house arrest as you pretend to be you'd just get around it. So what are you really doing?"

Daisy didn't know. Daisy just plain didn't know. She didn't know why she woke up in the morning. She didn't know why she should go to bed at night. She didn't know why she cared so much about finding enhanced and stopping others from finding them. She didn't know why she cared so much about getting her place back in S.H.I.E.L.D. She really just didn't know. Ever since she woke up from her coma she'd felt wrong. No, no, that was a lie. She had felt wrong her whole life. As Mary Sue Poots she thought she'd been missing family. As Daisy Stark she thought she was missing the chance to be a superhero. Now she knew she had just spent her whole life lying. She was missing something, that was for sure, but there was nothing, nothing that could fill it.

What was even odder was that Daisy had the strange feeling that she'd come to this realization before, but that wasn't possible. It was as if… it was as if she'd confronted this hole in her life while she was in her coma, but how? Had her brain been processing things while she was asleep? Had someone been talking to her and she just couldn't remember? Dr. Garner. Something about Dr. Garner knowing about the hole stuck in her mind, and she just didn't get it. Daisy just didn't get a lot of things. She didn't care if Nick Fury didn't understand them either.

"I have no reason to break my house arrest. If I got caught I'd go to real prison, and at least here I have full access to the internet. There is nothing out there in the real world worth giving up what I have."

"I would think that after so many years around S.H.I.E.L.D you'd know that was never the truth," Fury told Daisy, standing as if he was going to leave. A part of Daisy wanted to ask him to stay, a part of her wanted to let him go, but no part of her wanted to tell him about Mike Peterson.

"34-02-42.7200N slash 118-41-42.0500 W," Fury told her, fully aware that J.A.R.V.I.S would be noting the location as he spoke. "If enough of the young woman I know is in there, that's where you'll find what's worth risking incarceration for… I'm sure I'll see you again Daisy. I hope you're more yourself when I do."

Fury left but Daisy didn't move. What was wrong with her? Clearly something. She hadn't been acting herself in month. She'd felt more wrong than she always had. She hated being stuck inside, so why hadn't she snuck out. She could have. She really could have.

And what was at those coordinates that Fury thought would get Daisy to tell him about 'the man in the hood'? Clearly the two had to be connected; Fury wouldn't just give up that easily. What could be there though? What did Nick Fury think was enticing enough for Daisy to risk prison?

What did Daisy think was worth risking prison?

"Miss Stark, need I remind you that even if you use the signal jammer you developed back in January, any videos revealing your presence as outside this house would be a violation of your sentence and result in up to ten years of incarceration in a maximum security prison. Surely whatever is at this airport is not worth the risk."

Daisy smirked at J.A.R.V.I.S's objection. So it was an airport. Good to know. "J.A.R.V.I.S, do you still have protocols to scan all video surveillance for me and to delete my presence from them?"

"Why of course, your father programmed me to do that years ago, out of fear of the paparazzi… why Miss Stark surely you're not thinking…"

No, no Daisy wasn't thinking, but that was okay. Often times Daisy made her best decisions when not thinking. She needed to know what Fury thought was so important. She needed to know why S.H.I.E.L.D was so concerned about Mike Peterson that the Director himself was involved. Most of all she needed to get back into the game. Maybe it had been fun to read about heroes, but she missed being one herself.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news guys, I'm done writing this fic so I'll now be updating daily. Or well I'm mostly done writing this fic. I haven't written the last chapter, but I'm actually gonna hold off on writing that based on how reviews go. Don't worry about that yet though. It won't make sense for about 20 chapters. For now just enjoy the daily updates! Also, I've never been quite sure whether it was the GH or the mind wipe that caused Coulson to say Tahiti is a 'magical place', so, for the sake of humor, I'm going with the mind wipe.

Chapter 8

Daisy spent over a year on an invisible, flying, helicarrier, and so planes did not impress her. She'd taken one of her father's many cars and driven to the coordinates Fury gave her, but wasn't quite sure what she was looking for. He hadn't been particularly specific after all. No, Fury had been intentionally vague, something he often was, and one of the many reasons Daisy didn't really like him.

The airfield was practically empty, and no one tried to stop Daisy from driving right onto the tarmac. There were a few empty helicopters and small planes, but in the center there was a giant plane which, as Daisy approached, she noticed the S.H.I.E.L.D logo on. Figuring that was probably her target Daisy drove that way. There was something red outside it, and it was only as Daisy got closer that she realized it was an old car. It was only as Daisy pulled to a stop next to the car that she realized it wasn't empty, and just who was inside.

If Daisy was 100% honest, her first thought was that her father and doctor were right to think she'd cracked. Phil Coulson sitting casually in the driver's seat of a vintage car simply wasn't possible. He'd been dead for over a year. Daisy had sat in an infirmary staring at his body bag for hours after he died. She'd been to his funeral and she'd mourned him. She'd mourned the death of the man who looked at a fifteen-year-old girl and saw a S.H.I.E.L.D agent.

Coulson's death hurt Daisy deeper than it should have. They didn't know each other that well, even if he had signed off on her joining S.H.I.E.L.D and was her CO. She'd known him of course. She'd been inspired by him. She'd wanted to be like him, but they weren't close personal friends. Natasha was her mentor, not Coulson. Coulson was like… like that uncle always watching out for her. Daisy didn't have any reason for his death to hurt so bad. She'd yelled at herself daily for being so affected by it, but she was. She'd been about to quit S.H.I.E.L.D when he died, but afterwards she never considered it for a second. How could she leave S.H.I.E.L.D, leave the organization Phil Coulson gave his life for? Daisy couldn't. She just couldn't. She'd spent months working as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent because of Coulson's death, and in all that time she was mourning someone she didn't think she had the right to mourn.

The pain had gotten better. During the trials and the hearing Daisy had thought about Coulson a lot, about how ashamed of her he'd probably be. She felt as if she'd let him down by getting forced out of S.H.I.E.L.D. Or, on good days, she could imagine him walking into one of her hearing, shouting at everyone that 'Daisy literally stopped Nazi's from taking over the world' and then making some reference to Captain America's exploits. One way or another she'd thought about him during that time, but it hadn't hurt as much.

After she was sentenced to house arrest it hadn't hurt at all. She had too many other things going on. Too many other things that hurt like Hell. If Daisy was being perfectly honest she didn't think about Coulson anymore. She'd moved on. Or so she'd thought. Clearly she hadn't because she had to be hallucinating his presence in that stupid red car next to a S.H.I.E.L.D plane.

"No, no, no, no," Daisy whispered, getting out of her dad's car and shaking her head. "I'm hallucinating. I've been inside for too long and it's all gone to my head. You died. You're dead."

Coulson gave her a little smile, and then stood up, getting out of his car to grab Daisy's shaking shoulders. Once he did Daisy looked up at him, and she didn't need him to speak to know that despite every logical sense telling her she was wrong, he was actually standing right there. His hands were soft against her shoulders, soft and reassuring. "You're right about the first part, I did die, but I'm not dead. I died shortly, and then I came back, but it was so touch-and-go for a while that Fury decided it was best no one know I survived. I actually just got back from Tahiti. I've been there recovering. You should go sometimes it's…"

"A magical place," Daisy finished, briefly wondering why since she'd never actually been there. (Though her father and Pepper honeymooned there.) "Sorry, I'm still stuck on the fact that you've been alive for over a year and no one thought to tell anyone."

Coulson shook his head, "Fury didn't want anyone to know. He wouldn't give me a good reason for why. I was shocked when he said he was sending you to speak to me. I guess he figured finding this guy in the hood and stopping him is more important than keeping me a secret."

Daisy paused for a moment. Stopping him? Why did they want to stop Mike Peterson? "You realize he didn't blow up the lab. He saved someone from it."

Coulson nodded, "We know. And we also know that this morning he went to a factory and sent the foreman to the hospital. Daisy, Director Fury seems to think you know who he is. I think if you knew who he was you'd tell us before someone gets killed."

He was guilt-tripping her of course. Fury could have told Daisy about the foreman in the ICU. Fury had given up without much of a fight. He'd wanted Daisy to take the chance to break her house arrest, to see what the big secret was. Fury knew that when Daisy realized the secret was Coulson she wouldn't be able to help but give up Mike. Daisy couldn't protect a dangerous enhanced while looking Phil Coulson in the eye.

She couldn't, but she also wasn't just going to give Mike up. "I'll tell you who he is, but I get to come with you. I've already broken my house arrest. It won't hurt for me to be out a little longer. Let me come with you. Let me talk to him. He's just scared and desperate. He just wanted to be strong enough to get his job back, and he ended up enhanced. He needs help, not a bullet to the brain."

"You know S.H.I.E.L.D policy is to only use lethal force as a last resort," Coulson reminded Daisy.

And she nodded, but she also snorted a laugh. Sure, that was S.H.I.E.L.D policy, but not practice. She'd logged enough reports to know how many enhanced ended up terminated. She'd seen S.H.I.E.L.D unabashedly take out one of their own cadets when she gained powers and went off the deep end. "Policy and practice are often two different things. So I can come?"

"It's illegal for me to allow you on S.H.I.E.L.D property," Coulson sighed. "But just speaking to you about a S.H.I.E.L.D mission is also illegal, so I might as well continue."

Daisy smiled a little at that. He was supposed to be dead. She was supposed to be under house arrest. What was a little lawlessness? "Okay. His name is Mike Peterson, I swiped his wallet so you'll have his address," Daisy told Coulson handing it over. "Let me call my dad, he's probably freaking out, I didn't exactly tell him where I was going, and then we go together."

"It's good to have you back Daisy. I was very worried when I heard about the trials… and I was also very proud of you. I met him many times; I would never have guessed Secretary Pierce was Hydra."

Daisy shrugged. No one had. She hadn't, not until he told her to look through classified files and she found out about Project Insight. How could anyone guess that Hydra still existed, that it had found its way into the highest ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D? "I did what anyone would have done. I mean I was in a hospital bed when my dad and the other Avengers took him out. I just told my dad that I worked for a psycho Nazi. There's nothing special about that, just about my dad."

Coulson shook his head though and held up Mike Peterson's wallet, "Don't sell yourself short Daisy. We both know there is something very special about you as well. You have five minutes to call your dad. And then wheels up."

Daisy nodded, and waited until he drove his car up a ramp and into the plane before pulling out her phone. It was a crappy burner phone she'd picked up on the way to the airfield, her father had taken away the one that had internet access. In the end that had backfired on him after all. He'd probably been trying to call her.

"Daisy Stark is that you?" her father answered after only one ring. "Where are you? I just called your monitoring officials to tell them you'd been kidnapped by the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D and they told me you were still in the house."

Wow. She'd been ratted out by her own father. "I'm fine Dad. I had to go meet someone. It was important."

"Yeah, I figured," he snapped, clearly not calmed by Daisy's steady tone. "I told your monitoring officials it was a big house and I was wrong, that you were just hiding in the attic. Get back here. I'm not going to cover for you again. You know if you break your house arrest you go to prison."

Yes, yes Daisy knew. She knew that she didn't need to go and see Mike, that she should just get in the car and drive home. She wouldn't be in any trouble. Coulson would deal with Mike and Centipede. Everything would be good. She could go back to reading Percy Jackson, back to letting go of S.H.I.E.L.D and moving on with her life.

"I'm sorry Dad, but there is a man in trouble, and if I don't help he's probably going to end up with a bullet in his head. I just called to tell you I am okay, and ask you not to tell anyone I've scrambled the GPS signal. I'll be home as soon as I can and then I promise I'll be done with S.H.I.E.L.D. You can block me from the internet for a month, for a year God knows I have enough time. But I have to do this first."

"Daisy it's not safe!" her father sounded desperate, and Daisy didn't quite get why. Surely he wasn't worried about her being caught by the police. They both knew she could take care of herself in that regard. "S.H.I.E.L.D… S.H.I.E.L.D will kill you."

Her father had never trusted S.H.I.E.L.D, especially after he learnt that Howard Stark was its founder. He'd always tried to keep Daisy far away from the organization, but ever since the Winter Soldier… Her father had been happy when Daisy was fired. Her father hadn't been happy about the house arrest, but he'd been happy that she was legally never allowed to be part of S.H.I.E.L.D again. Daisy didn't get why he was so unsupportive. She got that he worried. She got that he wanted her safe. She hated that he didn't trust her to be okay.

"I'll be fine Dad. I'll be home soon, but right now… right now there are things more important than my safety. I love you Dad, even when you're being an ass, and I'll be home as soon as I can."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Phil Coulson loved seeing Daisy walk up the ramp onto the Bus. She looked so natural surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D tech, and so content. He'd always wanted her on the team. He was thrilled, absolutely thrilled, to have her on board, even if it was just for this one mission. (And Phil Coulson knew deep down that he'd find a way to make it for longer than this one mission).

Melinda May rolled her eyes when she saw Daisy Stark coming on the plane. She was sitting in the cockpit ignoring Coulson, and had a clear view of the girl from the moment she'd driven up to the plane. It had taken May a minute to recognize her, but once she had she understood. Coulson was always sentimental. He would be the type to allow a rogue ex-agent on the Bus. May thought it was a dumb idea, but she was also curious. She'd been on desk duty when Stark became an agent. She'd heard the stories of the girl. Once Melinda realized that Natasha Romanoff herself had taken an interest in Daisy… well May knew she was worth watching out for. This would certainly be interesting, that she knew.

Jemma Simmons and Leopold Fitz were thrilled to see Daisy. It had been almost a year since they last spoke with their friend, and they'd been worried about her. Daisy, they knew, could not possibly be handling house arrest well. She wasn't the type to handle something like that well. Besides they thought it was terribly unfair that she'd been punished for revealing that they were all working for a member of Hydra. Jemma had been terrified when the news was released, wondering if there were other Hydra agents as well. Of course there were only a about a dozen, and all of them working at the Triskelion, but it was still a terrifying thought. Fitz had been less phased, but equally as concerned for Daisy. She had a habit of getting herself in terrible situations. It seemed she'd finally gotten herself in a good situation, however, as she came on the Bus. Fitzsimmons were thrilled to see her, and just glad to know she was okay.

Grant Ward's breath stopped when he saw Daisy Stark walking past him. Garret had told Ward that she was the only person ever to break through Hydra compulsion. None of them had a clue how she'd done it, though they figured it had something to do with the month her family claimed she'd been 'in a coma' that Hydra knew she'd spent compromised. One way or another though she was important. She'd dealt a huge blow to the organization when she took down Pierce, and she was the only one likely to realize that Hydra had a much larger presence in S.H.I.E.L.D than anyone ever imagined. Besides, she was the only one who would ever have a chance of killing an Avenger, something Hydra needed desperately to happen. If Ward and Garret could re-activate her conditioning they'd be heroes… Yes. Yes. He needed to call Garret.

"Our pilot is Melinda May, an old friend of mine. She knows Nat and Clint too, but don't expect her to be chatty about it," Coulson explained as Daisy caught up to him. Daisy just nodded, looking around at the high tech plane. She was impressed. It was hard to impress her, but she was impressed. Clearly Fury was rewarding Coulson for, well, dying.

"That is Grant Ward, one of the best Operations Agents you'll ever meet," Coulson told Daisy, pointing out the man standing and staring at them. Daisy grinned a little at the shocked look in his eye, clearly he recognized her, and gave him a little nod. "Meet me in the operations center in five minutes. We need to have a little team chat and then Daisy has an address for our guy in the hood."

"Yes sir," Agent Ward replied, and Daisy shook her head. How unfortunate; he was a stiff. She'd always preferred the agents with a bit more… spirit. Apparently she'd have to teach him that sometimes it was okay to break the rules. No Daisy, she reminded herself. You're only here for Mike. After that it's back to house arrest.

"And here are our labs. I think you'll know these two," Coulson told Daisy with a little grin. Daisy was shocked to see Fitzsimmons standing there. Jemma was grinning and immediately gave her friend a hug. Fitz wasn't as openly affectionate, but he smiled widely and nodded his head. "It's good to see you Daisy."

"You too Fitz. Both of you." Really, Daisy was glad. In a real way they were her first friends. In a lot of ways they were the only friends she'd ever had. First she was the orphan shuffled around. Then she was just Tony Stark's daughter. Fitz and Simmons, however, were Daisy's friend before and after they knew who her dad was. They were the reason her two years at the Academy had been the best time of her admittedly disappointing life. After she left they'd still been her only friends. Daisy had the Avengers of course, but they weren't friends, not really. They were father, boyfriend, mentor, awkward uncles, but they weren't friends. They weren't peers. Fits and Simmons were. They were her age and brilliant agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Just like her.

No, she remembered. You may be here but you're not an agent, not anymore.

"I know you would probably like to catch up, but we're under a sort of time restraint "Coulson directed. "Fitzsimmons, we're going after this guy but Daisy doesn't think he's a threat. I'd still feel better though if you could load up every tranquilizer we have."

Daisy shook her head. "You can't do that. I didn't know they were already on human trials but I've seen enough of their research t know when something might go boom. I think the lab was taken out by a test subject, not a separate force. If you shoot Mike, even with a tranq,…"

"He could go boom," Coulson finished for her. "Got it. Daisy, get Fitzsimmons their research. Fitzsimmons find a way to keep him from exploding."

Since Daisy knew what she was looking for, getting Fitzsimmons their formula was a piece of cake. Once she did that she went to the plane's command center. Coulson had already pulled up Mike Peterson's address, and Daisy turned it to a live feed.

"Who's that in the house with him?" Coulson asked. Daisy wasn't sure, but with a quick command Daisy got a street view and revealed the bushy-haired child. "He's got a hostage?"

Daisy, however, shook her head. "There are too many toys in that room. That kid lives there. That explains why Mike is so desperate. He has a son to feed."

"All the more reason we need to step in before someone gets hurt," Coulson pointed out. "I'm going to assume you'd like to talk to him first?"

At least Coulson knew Daisy well. "Yes. We've at least met. He knows I want to help him. I'm a lot less unassuming than armed operatives." Though no less deadly, as Coulson well knew. Daisy was highly trained, and highly talented. Coulson saw her fight a god at sixteen; he trusted that she would be fine.

Which was why Daisy stood outside Mike Peterson's house within the hour., alone and unarmed. In a lot of ways she looked so natural that the neighbors walked right past as she rung the doorbell. When Mike opened the door, however, he saw the one truly distinctive feature of Daisy Stark- the sheer determination that never left her eyes.

"You," Mike said, as if somehow the simple indefinite pronoun meant something. (And yet it did mean something. The curtness with which he spoke made it mean so many things). "How did you find me?"

"I have my ways," Daisy answered nonchalantly. "Can I come in? It's best no one sees me. I'm not really supposed to be here."

Mike peered out the door to see if anyone was looking, and then opened it wide enough for Daisy to slip through. "I know. When I saw Ace playing with his Iron Man action figure I realized why I recognized you."

Ah. Shit. Well, at least he still let me in, thought Daisy. If he was one of the people who thinks I'm the real Nazi he never would have let me near his son. "Sneaking around would be a lot easier if I wasn't so infamous," Daisy admitted. "Nice place. Let me guess, you've already been evicted and need your job back if you're going to have someplace to go?"

Mike scowled. "Let me guess- you're offering to pay my rent if I tell you what I know about those behind Project Centipede? Nice try but I can earn my own way."

Honestly Daisy had never considered bribing Mike, or anyone for that matter. Though, now that she thought about it, bribes might make some of her work easier. No Daisy, this is no longer your work she reminded herself, before the thoughts grew too much. She had to stay focused. Mike was a ticking time bomb. "No. I'm here because I want to help. Count yourself lucky. The next guy through that door will want to register you, then the next will want to exploit you, and the next will just want to dissect you. How do you think Ace will fare then?"

Mike looked over to where his son was obliviously watching cartoons. Then he turned back to Daisy and practically growled, "You leave my son out of this."

"I can't," Daisy insisted. She was furious at Mike. She barely knew him and yet she was suddenly furious. He'd been reckless and unthinking and now what? He just thought it was all going to go away? That things would go back to normal? He didn't strike Daisy as an idiot, but apparently she was wrong. "I can't leave him out of it because the next guy won't either. Take it from someone who knows- your son is in danger. When you went out and got yourself enhanced you might have done it for him, but you put a target on his back. Now you can try and protect him yourself. You can pick up and run, and then run again every time someone looks at you funny, and all your son will know is that the world is something to be feared. That the world is out to get him, to screw him over. Or you can let me help you, and your son can grow up feeling a lot safer than I ever have."

Mike was faltering, and Daisy knew it. She knew it just like he knew she was right. Mike could be arrogant, he could pretend he could handle things himself, but best case scenario Ace ended up just like Daisy. Worse case scenario.. Mike didn't want to consider it. "What would your help consist of?"

"Ace going someplace safe until S.H.I.E.L.D scientists can figure out how to keep you from blowing up, for one," Daisy answered, not one to mince words and make him feel better. He'd started this. He had to accept the consequences "Right now the biggest threat to him is you. But once we're stabilized you then it will be you and Ace, new city, new last name. You'll have a caseworker. They'll make sure you don't draw attention to yourself, and that no one's attention is too focused on you. Honestly I don't know all the details. My dad never wanted to live a quiet life. But I know they were prepared to give him one, and that they've done the same for a lot of people. S.H.I.E.L.D will help you. I promise."

Mike looked over at Ace, so content, so still as he watched a cartoon superhero save a woman from a burning building. "You still work for S.H.I.E.L.D, even after everything they did to you?"

"No," Daisy admitted, as hard as it was. "I don't work for S.H.I.E.L.D anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't still believe in their mission. I was once told that S.H.I.E.L.D protects the world from a much weirder world, but that's not entirely true. A lot of the time S.H.I.E.L.D protects the weirder world from its good intentions."

"I don't know much, not really. The woman I saved from the building, she was the doctor running the whole project. She might still be in the hospital, if you're lucky," Mike began, and Daisy breathed a sigh of relief. Even if this meant she had to go home and face the music, she was glad to see things work out. "And I heard once that this all comes back to the Clairvoyant. I don't have a clue what that meant, but that's who they all work for. You think he's some sort of supervillain?"

"I don't know," Daisy admitted, not liking the sound of that. She'd never heard or read of an enhanced who could see the future, truly she didn't think it was possible, but you never really knew. "But someone will figure it out. Thank you. You're making the right choice. For both yourself and Ace."

Mike nodded, "I know. And I'm sorry."

Daisy was thrown off by that. He was sorry? "For what?"

"That your father didn't make the same choice."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I forgot to update yesterday, but guess what guys? I'm officially all moved in to college, and you'll now get two updates today. So enjoy! Or well you don't have to enjoy. just don't hate me too much for it. If you really want to cry read the ending while listening to "I hate you" from If/Then. That's what I was doing while writing this.

Chapter 10

Daisy watched as Ace and Mike said their goodbyes. Ace was going to his Aunt's house for the time being, with a number of S.H.I.E.L.D agents stationed about in case one of the Centipede backers were looking for a way to shut Mike up. Mike meanwhile was going to a S.H.I.E.L.D lab, where hopefully they'd find a way to neutralize the more… explosive part of his bad moods. It looked, however, like the two of them would be okay, and soon enough father and son would be back together.

Daisy on the other hand would be back with her father all too soon. He would, undoubtedly, be furious, not only that Daisy had run off, but that she'd hung up on him. It was odd for Daisy, having her and her dad fight. Or well that wasn't odd. She and her dad fought frequently; they always had. The difference was they normally fought over his reckless behavior, not her own. Every time they'd fought in the past he had been in the wrong, and their fights just made him admit it. This time it was different. This time he was still in the wrong in Daisy's mind, but she knew it wouldn't be so clear when looked at by an outsider.

But how could she have been wrong to do what she did? Mike and Ace were both safe. They were both going to be okay. Maybe they would have succeeded in doing the same without Daisy, but she doubted it. If Daisy hadn't been investigating, if she hadn't known who Mike was, it could have taken Coulson's team days to figure out his identity and find him. By then he could very well have blown up, and taken Ace with him.

Daisy had done the right thing. Perhaps it had been illegal. Perhaps she would be eternally grounded for it. Perhaps her involvement was unnecessary. Perhaps she just plain didn't care. She'd done the right thing. She'd made it work out. She felt better than she had in a long time. Not perfect, no. There was still a hole in Daisy, a whole that nothing ever seemed to fill, but it felt better. It always felt better when she was out in the field. Somehow field work was closer to her actual purpose, to whatever it was that would make her feel whole. So she'd helped others and helped herself. Her father couldn't possibly be mad at her for that.

Okay, Daisy knew he would be. On some level she even knew he should be. It didn't make her dread going home any less.

"What are you thinking about?" Coulson asked, startling Daisy as he approached from behind. She cursed herself for not paying enough attention; she was out of practice. "You don't quite look like you're giving yourself the pat on the back you deserve."

Daisy shook her head. "It's stupid," she admitted, but Coulson gave her a look. He seemed to legitimately want to know what she was thinking about. In a way it reminded Daisy a bit of how Dr. Garner spoke to her. They both wanted to know what she was thinking so they could help her through her thoughts. The difference was that Coulson, unlike Garner, wasn't going to judge Daisy for every errant thought that ran through her head. Coulson could see things at face value and know that sometimes, sometimes a thought was just a thought. "Really, it's stupid. I was just thinking… I was just wondering what my life would have been like. If my dad had read the index cards you gave him. Would we have been like this?"

"No," Coulson admitted. "Honestly Daisy in those days we thought all the power was in the suit. We didn't realize that it was your father's intelligence, and his personality, that made Iron Man more than just a fancy piece of technology. S.H.I.E.L.D would just have taken away his suit. We'd take away the powers of most enhanced if we knew how. But no. It would have been too hard to make the Starks disappear. We'll have to fake the Peterson's deaths eventually, give them completely new identities. If we'd done that with you and your father a multi-billion dollar corporation would have gone up in smoke. Besides, it would have felt wrong, doing that to Howard Stark's son."

Hmm. Everything came back to her father. It was always her father. "What about his granddaughter."

"What?" Coulson asked, and Daisy was asking herself the same thing. Where has those words come from? What did she even mean by them? Surely she didn't mean…. No. No she meant just that. Daisy hadn't even considered the possibility that maybe there was a way out for her. She wasn't considering it now she'd just spoken but she didn't mean it… right?

"S.H.I.E.L.D could make Daisy Stark die though, couldn't they? I'm not heir to anything, we handed things over to Pepper and then there is always Maria. I mean I could have some terrible accident and no one would care." No, Daisy, shut up, the rational part of her screamed. You don't want that!

"You don't want that," Coulson echoed, looking at Daisy with a hint of fear. "I know things are difficult for you at the moment, but I'm sure you'll be pardoned sooner or later. Your sentence does not poll favorably. It would be a good move to show that the government trusts her citizens. It will happen soon. I promise."

Daisy wanted to accept his words and forget it, but the possibility was now stuck in her head. This could all be over. S.H.I.E.L.D could fake her death and then take her back. Coulson's team was flying under the radar anyways; Daisy could be a part of that. She'd have to tell her father that she was alive of course, the other Avengers as well so that they could focus without being depressed, but it could happen. A dead girl needs no tracker. It could… it could actually work.

"I want to talk to Fury," Daisy decided, just like that her mind made up. "I need… I need to talk to Fury. He owes me. You know he does. You all do. If it wasn't for me, S.H.I.E.L.D would still be led by a Nazi. I want my reward in my freedom. We fake my death. We tell no one but my dad and Pepper obviously. They won't turn me in. But we make it so everyone believes I'm dead and then I could stay. I could be a part of your team. Don't pretend you don't need me. I noticed you didn't have a Coms agent on the team."

"Daisy, this isn't the kind of decision you make overnight. Once you do this you're dead. If anyone finds out you're still alive you'll be in a whole world of trouble."

So? Daisy would already be in a whole world of trouble. Undoubtedly someone would figure out soon enough that she'd been breaking her house arrest all day. What could they do, send her to prison twice? "I want to speak with Nick Fury."

Dear Dad,

I'm sorry to do this to you, but I have to. I can't keep going for four more years, for a lifetime really. I'm sick of being Tony Stark's crazy, desperate, errant daughter. I'm sick of never accomplishing anything. I'm sick of pretending I can find a purpose in life behind the same four walls.

I don't know how S.H.I.E.L.D will do it. That was never my job. All I know is that the world needs to believe that Daisy Stark is dead. But I couldn't stand the idea of you thinking the same. So whatever you've been told, know it's not true. I am alive. I am okay. At least I'm a lot better off than I was under house arrest, that's for sure. I know you'd probably disagree, but it's true. I'm safer as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent than I am living a normal life. I can protect myself from the dangers of the job, but not from the restlessness of a Stark mind.

If you love me, and I know you do, you'll never tell anyone that I am still alive. You can tell Pepper of course. Dear God make sure Pepper knows, but no one else. Don't even tell the other Avengers, not even S.H.I.E.L.D, because most people there won't know they helped me go. I don't trust anyone but you and Pepper. I don't think anyone else will understand. If anyone finds out I'll go to prison. I would rather having never met you than be kept from S.H.I.E.L.D. I hate that, but it's true. S.H.I.E.L.D is the path I've chosen because it's the only path possible for me. I am S.H.I.E.L.D. I am nothing without it.

I'm so sorry to have to do this to you. I know somehow we'll find a way to be together again. Hopefully by then you will have stopped hating me for what I'm asking you to do. And if you can't do it, if you truly feel that I'm better off behind bars than as an agent, I won't hate you if you turn me in. I could never hate you. Not really.

I don't know what else to say, even though I'm not ready to say goodbye. The perfect words are lost to me. There is nothing I can say. Nothing that will ease either of our pain. All I can say is that I do love you Dad, and I'm grateful for everything. It's just that everything that has ever felt wrong about my life has gotten so much worse since my coma. Everything, even being with S.H.I.E.L.D really, feels wrong. But at least when I'm with S.H.I.E.L.D I don't feel like I'm living in Hell.

I'm so, so sorry.

Love, always,

Daisy

Tony Stark punched the wall, his hand instantly throbbing. No! No! This could not be happening. He'd made the right choice not to wipe all her memories. He couldn't stand the thought of his little girl's pain being because of him. He couldn't stand the thought that even while she breathed she was gone to him. No! No! No! No! Tony pounded against the wall until his knuckles were cracked and bleeding. He wanted so badly to turn her in. She'd go to prison but she'd be safe. He could see her. He could hold her. He could just hold her, like he didn't get to do when she was a baby.

Tony moved to the stove and set her letter on fire. It felt so good to know her goodbye, her excuses, were going up in flames. No! A voice in his head shrieked. That's all you have left of her!

Without a second thought Tony grabbed the flaming paper and put it out. The burns he received in response hurt like Hell, but he didn't even notice them next to the greater pain. At least he'd saved something. It was just the very end, true, but that was all he needed.

Love, always,

Daisy

Tony held that little scrap of paper as he sunk to the floor, uncontrollable sobs bursting from his chest. He hadn't cried like this since he was a little kid. It wasn't manly, it wasn't even decent, but he couldn't stop. He remained that way for many hours, until Pepper found him, and the whole time, in between his wailing sobs, he just kept repeating the same words, "I hate you. I hate you. I love you. I hate you."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Jemma found Daisy watching her own funeral, and immediately turned off the TV. "Hey," Daisy protested. "Steve was just about to give my eulogy. I wanted to know if he was going to mention that I broke up with him two days before I died."

"Coulson thought we all needed some time to get to know each other before jumping into a new mission, but really Daisy, this isn't doing you any good," Jemma pointed out. "You made your decision and now you need to accept the consequences. I for one think we should be calling you Skye all the time now, to help you get used to your new cover."

Daisy rolled her eyes. She'd picked her new identity, Skye Johnson, but that didn't mean she liked the name more than her own. Well she did like it better than her own, but her own name was, well it was her name. It was the name intended for her by her parents. It had a special meaning. It hadn't just been picked because it sounded nice. "Well you barely passed Operations class, and I studied under Black Widow, so I think I might have a better idea of what it takes to get used to a cover." Daisy realized after she said it that her sarcastic comment impinged on just plain mean. "Sorry, you're right. I made my bed, I should lie in it. Just don't call me Skye."

Jemma seemed willing to accept that, though undoubtedly if she caught Daisy obsessing over her 'death' anymore they'd go back to square one. "Good…."

"You always trail off when you're nervous. You didn't really just come in here to scold me, did you?" Daisy asked, making a place on the couch for Jemma. The girl came and sat down, but looked around the plane nervously. "Jemma, what's wrong?"

It was so rare to see her without Fitz that it was no wonder she seemed off, but every one of Jemma's nervous ticks were going off the wall, so Daisy knew there was a problem. A real problem. "I'm sure it's nothing. Everyone is just worried about you because you were unwavering about wanting to do this, and now that you have you've been very quiet. But… I got a call from Director Fury yesterday."

What? Daisy had spoken to Director Fury a number of times over the past few days, but she'd known the man for years. Even then she was only friendly with Fury because of her father. Your normal S.H.I.E.L.D agent didn't get a chance to ever speak with the Director, never mind get a call from him. Jemma was young. Jemma was young and only right out of the Academy. If she was getting calls from Director Fury, they were undoubtedly about Daisy.

"He wanted me to keep an eye on you and tell him if your behavior seemed out of the ordinary," Jemma confessed, the words practically tumbling out of her mouth. She then looked horrified, and once again scanned the common room to make sure they were still alone. "I'm not supposed to tell you," Jemma whispered, eyes wide with horror. "But you know I'm a terrible liar, and I just didn't understand. I'm sure I'm over thinking things, that he's just worried about the stress you've been under but I thought you should know because it seemed odd."

Daisy appreciated Jemma's concern, she really did, but honestly her friend's behavior was amusing more than anything. "Really Jemma, for him that's mostly normal. Besides, everyone is constantly concerned about me, watching out for odd behavior. It's like they're still waiting for me to exhibit brain damage from my coma."

"Your coma?" Jemma repeated and Daisy felt terrible. She'd considered Fitz and Simmons her friends even after leaving the Academy, but she really hadn't been that good a friend. There were few weeks between when she woke up and when no one in S.H.I.E.L.D was allowed to talk to her. She should have spoken to her friends then. She should have done a lot of things. "God Daisy. When were you in a coma?"

"All of last November," Daisy replied easily. "I woke up a few days after Thanksgiving. Some assassin by the name of the Winter Soldier tried to kidnap me, and I ended up unconscious for a month… why are you looking at me like that?"

Jemma had a look of sheer horror on her face, but it was twinged with a hint of confusion and almost… almost fear. "I… I should…"

Jemma stood up, looking like she was ready to run out of the room. It terrified Daisy. What had she done wrong? "Jemma, Jemma what's wrong? You're confusing me."

"Well you're confusing me Daisy," Jemma snapped back, but she immediately looked guilty. "I'm sorry Daisy it's just… well I don't know how to put this but you weren't in a coma all last November. I spoke with you last November. I heard you were kidnapped and when they found you I spoke with you. You were already out of the hospital. They hadn't even kept you overnight. You were fine. You were joking that you were going to kill the Avengers."

"That wasn't a joke." The voice was Daisy's, but she didn't remember thinking the words, never mind saying them aloud. Jemma looked concerned by her words too, and Daisy shook her head. "I don't… I don't mean. I meant to say that you're joking. I think I'd know better than you whether or not I was in a coma for a month. Please tell me you're joking."

Jemma wanted to, she really wanted to, but she shook her head. "I can't Daisy. Fitz will remember speaking to you as well. We spoke to you multiple times in November. You were in the news, after your dad had his heart attack. How… how do you not remember this?"

"Because it didn't happen!" Daisy yelled, no longer amused by Jemma's little prank. It was funny for a whole negative-thirty seconds, but now Daisy was just scared. She was scared and she was wondering why her friend could say such horrible things. "I don't remember the month at all! I wasn't awake for it. I woke up after getting kidnapped in a S.H.I.E.L.D hospital. My dad told me I'd been in a coma for a month. Director Fury, all the doctors and the freaking Avengers told me I'd been in a coma for a month. Check my medical records. Check them!"

Daisy's yelling must have drawn attention, because Ward came into the common area a concerned look on his face. "Is everything all right in here?"

"Everything is fine," Daisy snapped, glaring down both Ward and Jemma. "Jemma was just playing a little prank. Weren't you Jemma?"

Jemma shook her head, a glistening fear in her eyes, but then she smiled ever so slightly. "Of course. Just a joke. I must have been mistaken… I'm sorry. I'd better go…"

Daisy knew she'd have to go and apologize to Jemma later for yelling, but at the moment she was too freaked to do much of anything. It made no sense. Why would Jemma joke about Daisy not being in a coma? Daisy spent a month in a coma. She knew she had. Everyone knew she had. "Sorry if we were bothering you."

"It's okay," Ward told her, offering Daisy a small smile. They hadn't spoken much in the few days Daisy had been around, but she'd noticed him lingering about more than once. "I'm glad I found you actually. I was hoping we could get to know each other. All I know about you is your reputation, and while it's quite impressive, I imagine there is more to you than meets the eye."

Something about Ward reminded Daisy of Twilight. It was stupid, and she knew that the minute the thought first crossed her mind, but it stuck. Ward was like Edward. In a certain sense Daisy knew, she just knew, that he was dangerous. In a much larger sense it was that danger, plus the sweet melody of his voice, that drew her in closer. It made her curious. Daisy had a pretty good idea what she was getting with everyone else on the plane, but not Ward. Ward might be good to know.

"Sure, as long as you don't plan on gaslighting me you're welcome to have a seat," Daisy said, surprised by her own bitterness. "Sorry."

Ward smirked, "You spent a lot of time apologizing normally?"

"Normally for my dad," Daisy admitted, which just made her sad. "I guess that's the past now though."

Ward nodded. Besides her dad, Pepper, and Director Fury the only people who truly knew what Daisy had done were the people on the Bus. Melinda May thought it was a stupid idea. The others had been all for it. Ward hadn't given his opinion at all, simply stating that he didn't know Daisy well enough to care. He seemed glad she'd stayed now, though, so maybe he just felt wrong giving his opinion to a stranger.

"Parents can be rough. Mine certainly were. Sometimes you just want to poison their pecan pie and be done with them, don't you?" Ward laughed, but Daisy didn't. A pounding headache was growing across her skull, and she felt sick to her stomach. Ward must have seen her go pale, because he went silent. "Are you alright?"

Daisy forced a smile and nodded, though it only made her head feel worse. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be? But yeah. I get what you say. There are days when I just have to kill the Avengers… I mean days when I just want to strangle them all… I mean days when running a knife through…" Daisy's breath caught in her throat. What was wrong with her? She was losing her mind. She had to be losing her mind. "I'm sorry. I don't like fighting with Jemma. I'm… I'm going to go apologize to her and take a nap. Come wake me up if Coulson finally decides to give us a mission… I… I have to go."

It wasn't far at all to Daisy's bunk, but she was panting heavily when she got there. Pecan pie. Why the Hell did those words keep playing in her head? They were like… they were like sirens in her head. Like an ambulance siren in her head. An ambulance siren and the screaming of people in a parade and the smell of death and…

Daisy shook in terror as she laid down on her bunk bed and cried unexplained tears until she fell asleep.

Ward was worried he'd taken things too far. Garret had told him to try and get her conditioning reactivated. He'd given Ward access to every file S.H.I.E.L.D and Hydra had on Daisy, so he could scan it for anything that might make her compliance return. The pecan pie she'd poisoned her father with seemed like such a little detail. He hadn't expected it to have such a huge affect on her. It certainly had though. She'd been spouting on and on about killing the Avengers, as if the words simply couldn't be washed from her mouth. Now, from the sound of it, she was sitting in her room crying.

Ward smiled. Simmons's little drilling hadn't been his doing, but it had softened Daisy up for him. It was good to know that there were others on the Bus who could accidentally help him unravel whatever was protecting Daisy's mind. It seemed the questioning of this bullshit coma was enough to open her up to all sorts of suggestion. Ward stored that little info away for when he might need it next, and typed up his message to Garret. Reactivation clearly possible. Responds to littlest reminders of events. Memories of the month have been buried but are not gone. How should I proceed?

Then it was a waiting game, something Ward hated. He loved Garret. The man was his mentor, his hero. He'd done so much for a stupid teenage delinquent. Ward owed him. He still wished sometimes that he could be calling the shots. He'd be a lot better at it for sure. With the fall of Secretary Pierce, Garret had gained a little bit too much power in S.H.I.E.L.D, and it seemed to be going to his head. Ward could inflict much greater damage if he was simply left to his own devices.

Still he waited for orders, because it was his job to follow orders. He'd never needed to be trained to follow orders the way someone like Daisy would. He just understood a little bit of gratitude. He didn't need conditioning because he was in prime condition from the beginning. Daisy Stark was a diamond in the rough, worth a lot should they use her properly, but one wrong cut and she could shatter. Ward wasn't so sure whoever botched her first conditioning hadn't already shattered her, but it was at least worth it to try and find a way to use her.

Proceed with asset reactivation.

Grant Ward didn't get much pleasure from life, but he very much enjoyed that response.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a weird little thing. Everything I wrote got a little messed up chapter wise around here, so here is a 600 word chapter that just didn't really fit with the others around it. So sorry for the short update, but, like, you get more tomorrow so I really don't feel that bad. Enjoy!   
> Also, I'm assuming if you're reading this fic that you've seen Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I don't really feel like just rewriting episodes, and I doubt many of you want to read that (because I hate reading fics that do that). Therefore I shall only be taking selections of episodes to show what has changed. Sorry if you wanted things to be different, but this worked best for me.

Chapter 12

Set after the episode 0-8-4

Daisy slumped on her cot exhausted. She'd forgotten how tiring it was to be shot at. It had been almost a year since she'd actually been shot; probably a new record. (And yes, Daisy was aware of how pathetic that sounded, but it was true.)

She was just about to fall asleep when her door slid open. May looked odd upside down, but when Daisy sat up it was the gun in May's hand that she was looking at. "You're not going to shoot me, right?"

May rolled her eyes, "Please. Save me the Stark humor," May answered. "It's for you. You would have been a much bigger help today if you'd been able to fight."

Daisy scowled. She'd knocked out more than one insurgent with a swift kick to the head. It wasn't like she'd cowered in the corner and left Ward to protect her. She'd helped get Jemma and Fitz to the van while Ward drew their fire. It pissed Daisy off that May was implying otherwise. "Thanks, but I don't need it. I can take care of myself fine."

"I know," May replied, her voice even as she repeated the simple phrase."But you would be a much bigger help to the team if you'd take it. You trained with Romanoff. I know you know how to use it.

Yeah, daisy did. There were some days in Natasha's class when they'd do pointe ballet for hours, and some days when Daisy's arms would ache from how many times she had fired a gun. She'd always fired at a target though. Sometimes those targets were shaped like people. 'Shoot the heart.' 'Paralize but don't kill him'. 'aim for the liver.' Daisy had always followed Natasha's instructions without hesitation, but that was different. When push came to shove she was shooting a piece of paper, not a liver. Daisy could not imagine shooting someone. Hell she hadn't been able to shoot Pierce, and he was a confessed Nazi. Daisy just couldn't do it. She couldn't.

That much must have been clear on her face because Agent May puckered her lips and nodded. I see. Your notion of good and evil is childish. If someone is going to kill you or your teammate you don't have just the right to defend yourself, you have a duty to."

Daisy gritted her teeth. She and Jemma had just made up; she didn't need to go yell at another teammate. Still though, who was May to lecture Daisy about duty? Daisy had given up everything, because of her duty. To S.H.I.E.L.D. She'd given up everything. "I don't need a gun. There are plenty of other ways to defend yourself."

"I know, May said once again, but she continued to hold out the weapon. "Which is why you'll hopefully never need it, but you're a field agent now, and so you have to carry it." Daisy sighed; she wasn't winning this fight. At least May was right about one thing- Daisy could have the gun and not use it. It was always a choice.

So she took the gun and put it with her badge on the bedside table. "Thank you."

May nodded, turning to leave. Daisy was about to lie back down and go to sleep when the senior agent Spoke. "For what it's worth, you never should feel okay shooting someone. Even if it's them or you. Only a monster ever feels okay shooting someone, no matter what the situation is. But it's still our job to protect others, and the highest price is not always death."

Daisy had been thinking that she had nothing left to lose, but May had shown her the truth. Daisy still had her goodness. She still had her soul. Every night she laid down her head and slept comfortably. When Daisy finally gave up everything to S.H.I.E.L.D. she would never be able to sleep again.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Set during "The Asset"

"This is a really bad idea," Coulson voiced for the thousandth time. It made little difference though. He had already approved the mission despite his reservations, and while Daisy would have obeyed if Coulson had ordered her not to do this, she wouldn't have shut up until he caved. She was definitely the most difficult member of the team simply because, at least under normal circumstances, Daisy wasn't one to comply.

"Stop worrying A.C," Daisy told him, strolling right through the gate. Other party-goers were all around, no one paying any attention to her at all. If anyone recognized her they passed it off as impossible. Her funeral had been a couple weeks earlier after all. It would have been odd for her to be there, back from the dead. "I've done this a thousand times before," Daisy assured her CO.

Coulson grumbled," In your head maybe," but he went silent so she could focus. When push came to shove he'd approved the mission because they needed to find Dr. Hall, and Daisy was the only one who could get close enough to Ian Quinn to distract him.

Daisy mingled about, acting natural until Quinn noticed her. Parties like this were second nature to her. Her father wasn't one to go to functions, and there had been dozens of times when last minute Daisy would be forced to go. (What her dad never seemed to realize was that Daisy eventually reached a point where she expected she'd be going, and so it wasn't really that last minute at all.) Whatever the case Daisy was comfortable. She'd even met one or two of the people lingering about, which was more than a little concerning. Particularly because everyone here, minus her of course, were Quinn Worldwide stockholders, and Daisy knew them as Stark Industry stockholders. Some might say they were smart for not putting all their eggs in one basket, but Daisy called it simple disloyalty. Besides, they were very different baskets. One was the symbol of hope and had sworn off weapons. The other… well there was a reason Ian Quinn lived on an island without an extradition treaty.

A knowing smile grew on Ian Quinn's face when he noticed her, and he immediately broke away from the people he was speaking to. Then he sauntered across the yard, picking up two glasses of champagne, and handed one to Daisy, "Skye Johnson is it?" he laughed. "I was very pleased to get your message, and impressed by the back-channels you sent it through. Why don't we go inside so we can talk more freely?"

Daisy smiled at him, taking the arm he offered. She was wearing a cute pink dress, one that reminded her far too much of what she'd worn the day she first met her father. The only real difference was that this dress scooped farther down her chest, revealing cleavage she certainly hadn't had at fifteen. (And that would never have been visible in a dress bought by Pepper regardless.) Still the dress seemed to do the job Daisy had come here to do, because Quinn led Daisy back into what seemed to be his office, which was also the perfect place for her to set up. She casually set up the transmitter/compact, while pretending to fix her makeup. She knew it was working when Coulson said, "Nice job. We're in," into her ear. She noticed then that Quinn was opening his mouth to speak, and, without thinking, she put a finger to her lip. Then she pulled the earpiece out and dropped it into a glass of water, a sly smile on her face, "Now, we can talk freely," Daisy told him. "And the best bit is that they trust me enough not to question it until it's too late. They'll assume I had to turn it off or risk being compromised."

"S.H.I.E.L.D.," asked Quinn, and Daisy nodded. It did her no use to lie. The best covers were made up of a thousand truths manipulated in whatever fashion was most relevant to the need. That she worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. would come as no surprise to anyone who knew her history. "Why are you back with them?"

"They're the only ones I know who can effectively fake your death," Daisy answered with a shrug. She made it seem easy, as if faking your death was as casual as making a tuna sandwich. But it worked. She knew Ian Quinn. He wasn't out on Malta because of the views. He was there because he hated the rules and the laws of civilized society, and he was rich enough to be left alone on such an island. As dangerous as it was to tell anyone that she was alive so soon after faking her death, that was what he found so attractive. "Besides, S.H.I.E.L.D. is stupid. They're obsessed with the idea that their agents are entirely loyal to them. The crazy thing is- I was. I was until they offered me up as a scapegoat to the United States Congress after the Avengers killed everyone who'd actually done something wrong. But S.H.I.E.L.D. has its uses, so I tagged along. They helped me die, helped make sure even my father believed it, and they gave me a way to lie low until an opportunity comes up… an opportunity such as this."

Quinn smirked, clearly enjoying Daisy's stroking of his ego. "Yes, this is quite an opportunity. I could use a person like you. I remember when you were only a teenager how you tore to shreds dozens of proposals for Stark Expo projects because they would inevitably fail."

Daisy smiled. She'd been thrilled to look through all the Expo project proposals. Back then she'd just been glad that her dad thought she was smart enough to know if something wouldn't work. Now it was just convenient that she had. "I remember I approved you and then a day in my dad kicked you out… he never did like being around people smarter, or prettier, than himself."

"Well I wonder then how he could stand having you around," Quinn replied, smiling as if he'd won the lottery. He slid nearer to Daisy, his eyes ravenous on her chest. It pissed her off. She hated being objectified, especially considering that Quinn was her dad's age. But, unfortunately, Daisy couldn't let her displeasure show with a quick kick to the balls. Her job was to keep Quinn talking and so she would. Even if doing so made her want to puke.

So instead of puking she laughed, "He never could stand having me around. It was an unspoken rule that I was to keep myself out of his way… well mostly unspoken." Daisy hated that. She hated having to bad talk her dad. As much as they'd parted on bad terms her dad was a good dad. Sure he didn't have a clue what he was doing, and Daisy had had to be self sufficient 90% of the time, but it was okay. Daisy liked living like that. She loved her father and he loved her. He was a good dad. He was certainly the only dad Daisy would ever want. Quinn wouldn't believe her story though if he thought she and her dad were close. Besides, most people assumed they did hate each other, so it was always easier to play into people's assumptions when under cover.

Quinn believed it too, which meant it was the right thing to say. He shook his head and squeezed Daisy tight, as if his presence would quell any tears she had about her miserable home life. Please. "It's a shame. If I had a woman like you around… well I'd have you around. But I guess that's how S.H.I.E.L.D. drew you in. They promised to give you the love, the sense of belonging, that your father never could. It's a shame, truly, a shame. Maybe S.H.I.E.L.D. would have been able to keep you if they could see you as clearly as I can. You don't want your father's love. You want his success. You want a name of your own, a legacy for Daisy Stark, or, well, Skye Johnson."

He was so wrong it was laughable. Daisy preferred S.H.I.E.L.D. to the Avengers because S.H.I.E.L.D. was thankless. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents didn't make a name for themselves. They did what was right without caring about public favor or fame. Daisy hated fame. She hated being known. Quinn could not have been more wrong, "Your're right," Daisy told him, casually shrugging her shoulders. "Which is why I'm here. That and your healthy disregard for the rules, that is. I am technically a fugitive."

"And Malta has no extradition treaties with the U.S," Quinn reminded, offering her a hand. "Your first project can be designing me a suit like your father's."

Daisy grabbed his hand, but before she said anything there came a bout of yelling through Quinn's earpiece, "They've breached the wall. There's been a breech."

Quin glared at Daisy, now gripping her hand tightly, "What is this?"

Daisy couldn't help it. In one swift stroke she pulled her gun and laughed in his face. "My God. I really had you going there. You legitimately believe that S.H.I.E.L.D. would not only take back a traitor, but also fake her death to hide her form her father, the Avenger? I mean are you kidding me? We could have sent a drag queen in here and you would have believed it was Daisy."

"You're S.H.I.E.L.D." Quinn growled. "You're actually S.H.I.E.L.D.." He reached towards Daisy, a if to strangle her, but she simply fired a warning shot at the wall behind him. That slowed him right down.

Daisy grinned, "Yes, I'm actually Skye Johnson, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Daisy Stark is dead, and good riddance. She was a pain in the ass."

"So what, are you going to shoot me, Agent Johnson?" Quinn practically snarled the name. "You don't have the balls."

It was true. Despite her conversation with Agent May, Daisy still didn't feel comfortable killing somebody. Maybe someday she would have to, but Daisy was not a killer. She never wanted to be. "You're right," Daisy admitted, holstering her gun. "I don't have the balls. Luckily, you do."

Quinn didn't see it coming at all. With a single swift move Daisy kicked Quinn in the balls and catapulted out the window into the pool below. The water was freezing, sending shivers down her spine, but when she broke the surface and found herself fighting guards she didn't hesitate for even a moment. By the time Ward came running to help her, all the guards were in the pool, and Quinn's other guests had run off in terror.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Ward stopped, surveying the sight before him. Damn. It was beautiful. (And he did not mean Daisy's curves, to which her soaked dress clung. Though those were… well beautiful wasn't quite the right word, but certainly something.) No the true beauty was the destruction she inflicted. Daisy was small and unassuming, but now he saw the agent trained by Romanoff. No wonder Hydra had wanted her. Sure her connection to the Avengers was invaluable, but so was the raging storm behind those sweet, sweet eyes. Ward hoped whoever her previous handler was, that he or she was dead. To lose an asset so precious was unforgivable. Furthermore, the fact that they'd had to force her compliance was a travesty. Hydra's brain washing had its purposes, but it killed the spirit of the asset. Daisy's spirit made her deadly.

No. Ward had his orders He wouldn't reactivate her conditioning, at least not yet. But Ward wasn't about to let Daisy Stark be wasted- not by S.H.I.E.L.D., and certainly not by Hydra. He would show Daisy the truth. Once she understood Hydra as more than just Nazis, she would see. She would see.

Ward was surprised to see Daisy up and walking around. It was about 3 am, and she'd been the first of them to go to bed. She'd been quiet all night, since they finished the mission really. She'd reported to Coulson how she'd distracted Quinn, and then come down to the lounge with the rest of them. There she'd laughed at all the appropriate intervals, but she hadn't actually participated in the conversation. The others didn't notice, as Daisy obviously intended, but Ward had. He had taken to noticing everything Daisy did, or didn't, do. That was how he even knew she was up. Ward had been asleep for an hour when the alarm he'd set on Daisy's door activated, buzzing by his hear. He'd thrown on some clothes and gone out to see what she was up to, more our of curiosity than anything.

Daisy looked lost. She was standing outside her bunk, blinking slowly and moving her head from side to side. She wasn't wearing much, just a tank top and stretchy yoga pants, and the hairs on her arms were mingled with goosebumps from the cold. The Bus was designed to conserve duel by lowering the temperature at night. It seemed it had gone too low for her SoCal sensibilities. "Are you cold?" Ward asked, pulling off his sweatshirt and offering it to her. She seemed startled by his presence, but took the jacket.

"Thank you," she replied simple. Her eyes seemed to study his face, but her memory must have failed because she asked, "Who are you?"

The question startled Ward, but as he watched her slowly struggle to put on the sweatshirt, he understood. Daisy wasn't really awake, not fully at least. And yet… and yet, if Ward's suspicions proved accurate, she was really more awake than she'd been for months. "Daisy, my name is Grant Ward. Do you know where you are?" Daisy paused, looking around again, but then she shook her head. "You're on a S.H.I.E.L.D. airplane called the Bus."

"That's not good," Daisy said, laughing at some joke Ward didn't understand. He had to admit that he loved her smile though. They'd been on the Bus together for a while, but he'd yet to see her legitimately smile. She looked nice smiling. She should smile more often, thought Ward.

"I need to go home, or to the Avenger's tower," Daisy continued, interrupting Ward's thoughts. "I need to see the Avengers."

Grant Ward was a trained operative, and furthermore he was a great operative. See anyone with strength of body and will can get through training. To be truly great, however, requires an inclination towards a certain kind of thought. It required the ability to notice all the clues, and piece them together into a sentence, a message. This was not a skill that could be taught. It required natural ability. Grant Ward was exceptionally skilled at this, and that was why he knew what was wrong with Daisy. "Daisy, why do you need to see the Avengers?"

She moved her head wildly from side to side, biting her lip and rubbing her wrist with her thumb. She looked ready to run actually, so Ward reached out and held her hand. She looked up, blinking when he did. "I'm not supposed to tell."

"Daisy," Ward's voice was strong, inhuman. He hated that he had to do this, but it was a step towards a larger goal. "You are to comply. Compliance will be rewarded."

Daisy went rigidly still, and nodded her head. "Compliance will be rewarded. I need to kill the Avengers."

"No," Ward told her on instinct. "That is no longer your mission. You have been asleep. Your new mission is to wake up. Every time you wake up you are to report to me. Do you understand? Every time you are awake find me and say 'Have you finished reading The Art of the Deal yet?' I will then get us alone and give you more orders. Do you understand?" Daisy nodded. "What is your mission?"

"I am not to kill the Avengers. I am to ask you 'have you finished The Art of the Deal yet' very time I wake up," Daisy repeated easily. "And my compliance will…" Daisy trailed off, suddenly jerking away from Ward. "Why the Hell are you holding me Ward?"

He puckered his lips. It seemed Daisy had woken up. Hopefully he'd gotten through his new orders before she did. "You were sleepwalking," he lied. "I was a bit worried you'd walk right off the plane."

"Oh," Daisy blushed red, noticing that she had on his sweatshirt. "Thanks," she said pulling it off.

"Keep it," he waved it off. "You can give it back to me some other day. You looked freezing." Daisy must have been, because she wasn't stubborn about giving it back. "Daisy, does this happen often?"

Daisy furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't know honestly. I don't even remember walking out here, but my parents never said anything about it."

They wouldn't if they knew what was really happening during your blackouts, Ward guessed. It seems my work is really just beginning.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically it's not midnight where I am so it doesn't count as forgetting. Side note- I cringed every time I wrote 'Grant' but it's a character development thing so I had to do it. Even though it feels wrong. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 15

Set during Girl in the Flower Dress

Daisy looked at the stupid hacker sitting in their lockup, and wondered for the millionth time what her life would have been like had she never met her dad. It sucked really to think about, because when push came to shove she couldn't see herself turning out much better than the loser Miles in there. Of course she liked to hope she would have been at least a little better. He'd sold information, put lives at risk, all for a little profit. She didn't imagine she'd be that much better though. She would have undoubtedly discovered her skill with computers. Maybe she would have joined Rising Tide as well. They had been one of her strongest supporters during the trial, hacking again and again in support of Daisy. It had actually been a little unsettling now that she thought about it.

"Can I speak with him?" Daisy asked Coulson on a whim. They'd already gotten everything they needed out of him. Now it was just the matter of how long it took to fly to Hong Kong. (Which, unfortunately, was taking a bit too long.)

"He's too likely to recognize you," Coulson answered after a moment's contemplation. "You're the Rising Tide's martyr, remember?" Yeah, Daisy did, so she didn't push it. Still she felt like… like for some reason she needed to talk to him. As if, in another life, he would have mattered to her.

But in this life he didn't, so Daisy let the subject drop and went to play more Battleship with Ward. She was about a million times better than him, which was odd, because as much as it was presented as a game of strategy, it was really a game of luck. (And luck was something Daisy had always been in short supply of.) Still it was always quite fun to crush his hopes and dreams.

If someone had told Daisy her first day on the Bus that she'd grow to be so close with Ward, she'd have laughed. He just wasn't her type. He was stoic, and gruff, and all around too serious. Daisy was pretty serious herself, and so she needed someone to make her laugh. That was why it was odd that Grant did that. Grant made Daisy laugh, constantly.

If Daisy was being honest, she wasn't spending much time with Fitz and Simmons. They'd been her best friends at the Academy, or, well, her only friends, but she'd never felt like the third wheel then. She did now. They hadn't changed, but she had. The house arrest. The coma. They'd changed her. Ward could make her laugh, but he also didn't get worried when she brooded. Jemma seemed constantly worried about Daisy, especially because, while they'd resolved their first fight, Jemma continued to insist that, somehow, she'd spoken to Daisy during the days she was supposed to be in a coma.

Grant never bothered Daisy about her past. Oh he clearly knew it, and he talked freely about his past. She knew all about his cruel brother and terrible parents. She knew about his SO, Garret, who'd saved him from his life and given him a new one with S.H.I.E.L.D. It sounded terrible to Daisy, and she'd not had the happiest childhood either. It was nice though, to have someone talk to her and not expect her to reply. Of course he already knew all about her past, it was common knowledge, but it was still the thought that count.

And Grant seemed to think of her a lot, and she certainly thought of him more. She couldn't believe the look of horror on Jemma's face the first time she'd called him 'Grant' instead of 'Ward', but it had felt so natural. Being around him always felt so natural, so right.

Daisy was enamored, and she knew it. It surprised her. The only real relationship she'd ever had was with Steve, and even that had only lasted a few months. Well technically it had lasted over a year, but the time she spent under house arrest didn't count. Steve had been on the other side of the country and while he would call and he would care, their relationship had deteriorated. He always acted too much like her dad. In the end that had been the reason she'd broken up with him. Maybe she'd done it in a heated, slightly irrational, Centipede-induced frenzy, but she didn't mean it any less.

If she'd never read those files. If she'd never discovered Hydra. If she'd never been arrested… maybe they would have worked out. But those things had happened, and Daisy couldn't change them. They'd happened, and she and Steve were on different paths now. Actually Steve thought she was dead and she was slowly falling in love with Grant so… definitely different paths.

Damn. She was falling in love with Grant Ward and it was miserable. Not only did it feel way too fast, but it felt way too perfect. He seemed to spend every free moment he had with Daisy, making her laugh. He was so kind. So understanding. So perfect. It was more than a little infuriating, and it made Daisy panic. How could it possibly be real? Moreover how could it possibly be directed at her? Daisy knew she was a mess. Daisy knew she was not easy to love. It didn't seem to matter one bit to him. He seemed to love her anyways, and without even being selfish about it. They weren't technically dating, nor had he made any move to sleep with her. He just loved her without expecting her to love him in return.

But Daisy was beginning to love him, and she didn't know what to do about it. It would have been safer for her if she could just be friends with Ward, but it wasn't going to happen. At this point the only thing that was going to stop her feelings for Grant was if she had her memories wiped of every kind thing he'd done to her over the past few months they'd been on the Bus. She'd have to forget every time he made her laugh, or every time he let her cry on his shoulder. She'd certainly done lots of the latter. He was the only one who was truly aware of how difficult it was for Daisy not to call her father. He'd talked her out of it more than once, reminding her that it would just put him in danger. It was still hard though. As far as Daisy knew her father was furious. He obviously didn't hate her enough to tell everyone that she wasn't really dead, but that didn't mean all that much. It really didn't. But Grant had convinced Daisy again and again that it was best for her to maintain her distance, and he'd always done it by distracting her when the urge got too strong.

There was one thing though, one thing that worried Daisy about her relationship with Grant. As much as she liked to think he told her everything and she did the same, she knew it wasn't true. She hadn't told him about her blackouts, the ones that seemed to come more and more frequently, especially when she was around him. He didn't seem to notice her losing time almost daily. It seemed to her like they must keep talking during that time she just can't remember. He didn't even seem to notice her blackouts. (Jemma and Fitz noticed them though, which was another reason Daisy was avoiding them). At least it made things easier. If she'd had to explain to him how she was going crazy…

Daisy pushed the thought out of her head. She was not going crazy. The stress in her life and the after effects of the coma were causing her to zone out, but she wasn't going crazy. She could afford to go crazy. She'd just worked her way back into S.H.I.E.L.D. She wasn't about to lose it again.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Set during Girl in the Flower Dress

Daisy wasn't surprised when it took only a few minutes for their mission to fall apart. It had seemed relatively simple- they were going to go in through the roof and get Chan out. It was no more difficult than any of the missions that had come before it. Slightly more personal perhaps, as this whole mess seemed to be connected to Project Centipede, but no more difficult.

Except every mission they'd gone on so far had gone sideways within only a few minutes, so it wasn't surprising when this one did as well. Luckily the problem was just them all getting locked in. They should have guessed that there would be some sort of security override to shield off the building.

Luckily though Daisy was there. There had been some talk about leaving her on the Bus, but now bringing her proved worth it. In fact her usefulness right there in the midst of the danger made Coulson consider recommending all Coms agents receive the same level of training as Daisy had. It was always easier for the hacking to be done on-sight, and at least in this way no one had to worry much about her getting hurt. Ward could go with Coulson, May, and the Hong Kong agents, and Daisy could quickly fight her way through security guards and to the computers.

The scariest bit was that Daisy wasn't sure which part was easier- knocking out the security, or knocking out the emergency protocols. She'd done both before the news even came over her Com that, apparently, Chan was a psychopath, and the actual Centipede workers had disappeared. Daisy growled in frustration, debating for a second what to do. Finally she decided that if Coulson, May, and Ward couldn't handle Chan then she couldn't, and since she was the only one available to chase Centipede...

Daisy didn't know exactly where she was going, but her best guess was that they'd be trying to leave the building. They had to know that S.H.I.E.L.D would have someone at their disposal who could override the security override. They were just hoping it would take that someone long enough that they'd be at the door by the time they opened. Unfortunately for them Daisy was just that good, and as she went down the hall, she noticed one of the elevator doors closing.

Perhaps she was just showing off, or perhaps the adrenaline of the situation caused her to do stupid things, but Daisy didn't even hesitate. As the elevator began its decent down, Daisy found the nearest staircase, swung over the railing, and dropped down to the next floor. She tucked and rolled as she landed, softening the blow, and using the motion to push her forward towards the elevator button. She hit it fast enough that the elevator dinged and came to a stop, opening right in front of her.

The woman in the elevator seemed shocked to have been caught, but Daisy simply smirked. She was small, smaller even than Daisy, and in a petite floral dress. It looked oriental, though the woman didn't, but far too tight for a woman planning on fighting. Whoever this woman was, Daisy had the advantage in every sense. "Put your hands up. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to."

"Daisy," the woman replied, sounding breathless and grinning. Daisy cringed internally, but didn't let anything show on her face. Really? Someone had to recognize her here and now?

"My name is Skye Johnson, I'm an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D and I'm telling you to put your hands up," Daisy told the woman, pulling out her gun to intimidate the woman. It was surprising how many uses she'd found for the weapon despite her hesitance to actually use it. She made a mental note to thank May later. Especially because the gun did the trick. The woman put her hands up, and Daisy, who didn't carry cuffs, pulled off her belt to restrain her.

Unfortunately she couldn't restrain the woman's mouth, not even as Daisy commed in that she'd gotten someone and Coulson sent her back to the Bus. "Johnson. Was it a coincidence or did you know? Did you know deep down that that's your real name?"

"Skye Johnson is my real name," Daisy insisted, pressing the button in the elevator. They might as well make their way out of the building that way. Easier than dragging a prisoner down the stairs and then to the Bus, at least. Especially when said prisoner was throwing Daisy off big time. The woman seemed to know she was Daisy Stark, a problem in itself, but what was this she was saying about Daisy's real last name being Johnson? The whole thing was just absurd.

It was also frustrating, because even taking the elevator it was a long walk to the Bus, and the woman had time to speak. "No, it's not, and we both know it. Your name is Daisy Johnson. That is the name on your birth certificate. That is the name your mother and father intended for you. Of course Stark came in and gave you his name, but he's not your father Daisy."

Daisy's mind swam. The insecure parts of her wondered if this woman was right. Maybe… maybe everything had been a giant mistake. Maybe the letter was a forgery, and the DNA test was faulty. Maybe the past six years of her life had been based on a lie. It often had seemed too good to be true. Maybe it was.

No. Daisy told herself. No. Like it or not you and Dad are too similar to be anything but related. Whatever this woman is going on about, she's entirely wrong. "Look, I get it, you're confused, but even if Daisy Stark, who's dead mind you, was actually someone else's daughter, I'm not her, so shut up."

The woman chuckled, "Oh Daisy. I'm almost sorry to do this to you. I suppose your life has been nice with Tony Stark as your father, but it was all a lie. Now you'll see the truth. Now you'll get to see all the truths that have been hidden from you."

Clearly it wasn't worth fighting with the woman, so Daisy just pushed her along and let her babble about lies and truths the whole walk to the Bus. When she got back there Coulson, Ward, and May had somehow gotten back faster, which only helped Daisy, as she could just pass the woman off to the others for interrogation. Instead she got the unique pleasure of kicking their asshole hacker, Miles, out on the street in Hong Kong with a nice bracelet to prevent any and all hacking.

"Come on!" the man complained. "You can't do this to me. I have rights!"

"Ah, I suppose you do," Daisy told him nodding her head. "You have the right to choose- start walking, or enjoy the hospitality of the little prison we like to call the Sandbox.

"Wait…" he studied Daisy's face, and she remembered why she hadn't been allowed to speak to him before. "Daisy Stark? You're working with S.H.I.E.L.D again? You bitch!"

Daisy scowled, and punched him in the gut. He doubled over coughing, and Daisy knelt beside him. "Daisy Stark is dead. So long, loser," she said, leaving him doubled over and heading back onto the Bus. She was beginning to wonder if perhaps S.H.I.E.L.D had the technology to give her a new face. She was really sick of being recognized at the worst times.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Daisy was sitting in her bunk reading up on some project her dad was working on when Coulson interrupted her. It sounded revolutionary from the article, new prosthesis that could actually give paralytics the ability to walk, but Daisy had the sneaking suspicion that he was just impatient about Maria learning to walk. Maria had probably doubled in size since Daisy had left; the thought made her long for home, for her family. The family this woman, Raina apparently, was claiming Daisy didn't belong to.

"She won't speak to anyone but you," Coulson told Daisy with a sigh. "And she is insistent that you are Daisy Stark."

Daisy chuckled, "Really? Because she told me that I'm actually Daisy Johnson"

Coulson gritted his teeth and nodded, "Yeah, she mentioned something of that sort as well. Look I won't ask you to speak with her, but she might know who the Clairvoyant Mike mentioned is. Chan killed people, but they just about killed him, and just to get fire resistance. They're trying to perfect their formula and I fear for what."

Most likely to create supersoliders, and probably the kind with eyepieces that would turn anyone into a slave, or so Daisy guessed. "I'll talk to her, but she's absolutely crazy. I don't know what good it will do."

Coulson didn't say anything, which concerned Daisy. It was almost as if he believed her to be sane. Did Coulson think there was a possibility of her telling the truth? Daisy hadn't even known her father a year when Coulson walked into their lives. Maybe he'd noticed something. Maybe he knew something and…

You know he's your father Daisy. Stop panicking.

Raina smirked when Daisy walked into the interrogation room. She'd gotten what she wanted, which only irked Daisy. Raina seemed like the kind of woman who always got what she wanted, just because she was too much of an inconvenience unhappy. "Your father was convinced that you weren't really dead. I thought he was just grieving, but here you are, flesh and blood… Or are you still going to try and convince me that you're not Daisy Stark?"

"No," Daisy answered. If she wanted something from this woman she'd have to give something in return. It was unfortunate, but clearly necessary. "I am Daisy Stark, but not this Daisy Johnson. Johnson is just a last name I've always used when I didn't want people to know who my father is."

Raina shook her head, "But even you didn't know who you father is. Oh you know the man who donated genes to you, but that does not make a father. Tony Stark did not change your diapers, or wipe your spit out of his hair. He didn't protect you from Hydra… not the first or the second time."

Daisy's blood ran cold at the mention of Hydra. She hated to think of them. She hated to think of everything she'd lost because of a few renegade Nazis. If she could kill every member of Hydra over again…. "You're talking about my step-father, aren't you? The one who killed everyone in our village, including my mother."

Raina shook her head, "You don't know what happened, but I do. I'll tell you to, but only if you tell me what happened last November."

What? Why did she give a shit about that? She'd mentioned her father not protecting her from Hydra, so she had to know enough. Why did she care about Daisy's coma? "I was attacked by a Hydra assassin. I ended up in a coma for a month but if you're saying that's my dad's fault…

"No. I think Tony Stark is careless but he's not Hydra. You just kept saying that at your trial, under oath no less, and I was wondering if you really believed it. If somehow they'd made you believe it."

This again. Daisy was ready to punch Raina. Why did everyone keep insisting that she hadn't been in a coma? Did they think they knew better than she did? Did they really think she could just somehow forget a month of her life? Did they think she was so gullible as to believe it? If one more person suggested that her coma was made up, Daisy might just scream. "Of course I believe it, because it's true."

"I see others have mentioned it," Raina smirked. She seemed so sure of herself. So confident. It made Daisy waver. Maybe… maybe everyone kept saying it because it was true. But then what happened last November? Why couldn't she remember it at all?

But how could it be a lie? Her father, Pepper, all the Avengers and doctors- they'd all told Daisy that she'd been in a coma. Why would they all lie? How could they all lie without one of them contradicting the other? No it didn't make sense for it to be a lie.

But did it make sense for it to be true?

"Whoever made you forget was meticulous, but I doubt they thought of everything. You were in New York last Thanksgiving. Check the security cameras in the Avengers tower. You'll find proof. And if you don't… well then I will answer all your questions and ask nothing else of you."

But until then Raina would say nothing, that was clear. Raina wouldn't talk to Daisy, not about Centipede, or about her step-father, if Daisy didn't do this. If she did do it… well she'd basically be saying she thought everyone she knew was lying to her. It would be the height of paranoia. It would just prove that Daisy really was going crazy. Except… except what if her blackouts were connected? What if she'd blacked out for a whole month? It seemed crazy but maybe… maybe she had. Maybe she had and her father lied to protect her from the truth. If he lied that had to be the reason.

Daisy had to know. She suspected that she didn't want to, but she had to know. Too many people had questioned Daisy's story of being in a coma. She needed to know if Raina was right, if Jemma was right. She needed to know.

No one had been sitting outside watching their conversation, which Daisy decided was a blessing. Coulson was undoubtedly waiting for a full report, but he would expect things to take time. Daisy could sneak out of the room, grab her laptop and figure out the truth before anyone would notice she'd left Raina alone.

"Fine, I'll look, but just to shut you up," Daisy said, getting up and leaving the room. Her heart pounded as she did so. On some level she knew what she'd find. From the moment she'd woken up she'd had suspicions that things were wrong. She'd felt wrong too. If she'd just gone insane and forgotten a month, perhaps that explained why she'd felt so wrong since waking up.

Getting into J.A.R.V.I.S was easy as opening her front door. Daisy was far smarter than her father, and he'd never really intended to keep her out of J.A.R.V.I.S. Even on her laptop, far away from home, she could log into his records and find the recordings from past November. Even before she began watching them she knew Raina was right. There were files missing. There were no images from Thanksgiving, or for a night a few days after that. There was no reason those files would not be there unless someone had purposely deleted them. Daisy felt sick to her stomach even before she opened a video from the middle of the month and found images of her and Natasha chatting in the living room.

Daisy wanted to throw her laptop against a wall, cover her head with a pillow, and sob. Her hands shook with fury and terror. Her mind seemed to move at lightspeed and not at all. She was there, but she didn't remember it. She didn't remember it at all. She closed her eyes, trying to remember something, anything, about that month. She couldn't do it. She couldn't do it and her mind felt ready to explode just trying.

Daisy shut her laptop and gently set it on the side table. She then took a deep breath and walked back into the room with Raina. She was silent as she sat down, and she ignored the smirk on the woman's face. They both knew what Daisy had found. There was nothing for Daisy to say except, "Do you know what I was doing last November?"

"No," Raina admitted. "I don't…but I know how to find out."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Daisy wasn't against treason. She'd already done treason. What she was truly against was lying to Coulson. She didn't know how she was supposed to betray the trust of the first person who'd ever believed in her. She just couldn't. The first thing she decided after she decided to trust Raina was that she had to at least be honest with Coulson about what she wanted to do. He could forbid her and she'd disobey, but she had to at least tell him.

She wanted to soften the blow with some information though, and that was exactly what she told Raina. "Look, I can't go to Coulson and ask him to let the two of us go off because you have some machine you claim can bring back lost memories. Explain a few things to me first. What do you want? If you're working for Centipede why are you all worried about me?"

"Your step-father, Centipede- they're connected. The Clairvoyant sees everything. He knows what the President dreams about. I joined with Project Centipede because I believe in his power. His power to see was supposed to lead me to you, and to our destiny."

Daisy stared at Raina completely lost. Maybe she'd been right about Daisy's non-existent coma, but this was just sounding insane. While it was technically possible for there to be someone enhanced with psychic abilities, that seemed like the kind of power Daisy would have heard about. Someone that powerful would have been obvious for the Avengers Initiative. "Our destiny? Why are we connected?" It seemed like the least strange thing Raina had asked, but Daisy wasn't sure how to address the rest.

"You and I are special Daisy. Cal, your step-father, he told me about our kind. Your mother was like us you see. I don't know the details. Cal wouldn't tell me until I brought him you. But I know that we have a destiny, and I hoped that the Clairvoyant could give me the answers Cal wouldn't. He loves you, but he's difficult to me. Especially after it seemed impossible for me to bring you home as you were dead."

Daisy was trying to keep straight all her questions, but there just seemed to be too many things. She wanted answers about her non-coma. She wanted to know about her murderous step-father. Now it seemed she had some destiny, some destiny that Daisy suspected was related to her status as an 0-8-4. Daisy just couldn't keep track of it all.

"Wait. One thing at a time," she whispered more for her sake than Raina. "My step-father. He killed my mother. I read the S.H.I.E.L.D report. He killed everyone trying find where she'd hidden me. How long has he known where I was? If he wants me so badly why didn't he just come and get me?" She wasn't quite sure why she decided to figure that part out first. Perhaps she just felt like it had to be the easiest to explain. Perhaps, after all this time, she was still just focused on figuring out her family first.

"Cal didn't kill your mother. From what he told me, she was killed by Hydra. She knew they were coming for her, because she was like us, and she sent him away with you. By the time he got you someplace safe, she'd been killed. I don't know about your village or how it was destroyed. All I know is that apparently, after he buried her, he went back for you and you'd been taken by S.H.I.E.L.D agents. He hunted them down, and he killed them when they wouldn't tell him where you were. He lost hope of every finding you, until last December. He's been living underground, working as a doctor for enhanced who don't want people asking questions. He never saw you on tabloids. But someone asked him what he thought of your trial. He knew Tony was your biological father when he made the decision to raise you. When he heard that Tony Stark had for years been living with his daughter Daisy he knew that somehow you'd found your way back to your biological father. He knew where you were. But there was no way to get to you. He tried, so hard, but the security around your house and family… it was impenetrable. He didn't know how to approach you so he sent me to find a way. I was just beginning with Centipede at this point, and when I heard of the Clairvoyant's power I thought he could help. Just as I was getting high enough that I might be able to ask him how to get to you, you've died in a terrible accident. Cal has been a disaster since."

Daisy didn't know if she believed Raina. It sounded like too perfect a story to be real. The S.H.I.E.L.D file she'd read all those years ago had made it pretty clear that her step-father was a monster, in both the literal and the metaphorical sense. Maybe they'd been wrong. S.H.I.E.L.D certainly could make mistakes. It was still unnerving to know, however, that she had another man out there who saw himself as Daisy's rightful father. One slightly-unstable father felt like enough for a lifetime. There was always two sides to every story, to every person. Perhaps this Cal did love Daisy. Perhaps he'd also slaughtered their village. Daisy didn't know, but she suspected sooner or later she'd have to find out.

"So what is Centipede? What is its actual purpose?"

"It's a money making venture, nothing more," Raina explained, the slightest distaste apparent. "But it's quite bright. The idea was to make an army of enhanced to be sold to the highest bidder. The formulas though have proven… difficult. So too has cooperation. While Centipede's methods of coercion are distasteful they are effective."

Yes, threatening to kill someone did tend to be 'distasteful'. Raina was distasteful. Her entire existence infuriated Daisy. If the woman didn't know so damn much Daisy would have loved to see her dropped in the middle of a rain forest with only her little flower dress. "Oh, yes, I'm glad you consider murder distasteful, that makes me real confident in my ability to trust you."

Raina rolled her eyes. "You don't need to trust me Daisy. You just need to listen to me. I'm cooperating aren't I? I'm answering every question you ask."

"Because my step-father is like a father to you?" Well Raina could keep him then. Whether or not the S.H.I.E.L.D files about him were wrong, Daisy already had one father. She didn't need another. "That seems like a pretty shitty reason to me."

"I'm trying to help you Daisy. The Clairvoyant is powerful, and I truly believe he could help me, but with you I don't need him. Come with me. Centipede has technology that could give you back that missing month. I'll do that for you, as well as answer any more questions you have if you promise to come with me to see your step-father after. Let him answer the questions about your birth. Then he'll tell us both what he knows about our destiny."

Destiny. Daisy believed in destiny. She believed that everyone had something that they were just meant to be doing. Until you found your destiny you felt lost and afraid, but once you found it everything would click. Everything would make sense. She'd seen it happen for her father. Iron Man was his destiny. Once he'd had that all the other aspects of his life had come together. It had sorta happened for her with S.H.I.E.L.D. Of course there was still a certain sense of wrongness, even with S.H.I.E.L.D, but Daisy could tell it was closer to her destiny than anything else. That's why she'd given up so much to be on the Bus. That was why even now she had to try and convince Coulson to let her do this. "Okay. Write down everything you know about Centipede. Their locations, their formulas, their funders. I'll give that to Coulson and maybe he'll let us go get our answers."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"I'm not comfortable giving you permission to do this," Coulson told Daisy, pacing back and forth. "It goes against every protocol. We don't even know if this information is good. She could have just written down a bunch of crap so she could walk you right into a trap."

"Coulson," Daisy pleaded. It was just the two of them alone in his office, though the other members of the team were all waiting outside, trying to figure out what was going on. "Your life doesn't make much more sense than mine. You're saying that you died for a few minutes, but I saw you, lying there, in a body bag for hours. Why would they fake the body bag? Where would they even have taken you, the helicarrier didn't land or move the wounded off. If they were treating you then you would have been in the infirmary with me." Daisy had been thinking about this for weeks, but she was surprised that she said it. Coulson was too, though it looked like he'd wondered the same thing. "Tell me you've never felt like you were being lied to."

Coulson shook his head, "I don't know, Daisy. It does seem odd to me that I was gone for over a year. I don't remember being in Tahiti for more than a few weeks. But if we want answers we should go to Fury, not just trust that Raina isn't messing with our heads."

"Coulson. If we're right and our memory has been messed with, then Fury was probably the one to do it. Jemma told me that Fury asked her to watch me, to make sure I wasn't acting funny. He knows something. And maybe he did it for our own sake, but then why not tell us what happened? I don't trust Nick Fury. I never have." It was very true. Fury had tried to cut Daisy out of the conversation from the very first day they'd met, and everyone knew he played games. He'd played a game with Daisy before, ensuring that she was someone all the Avengers liked so that she could bring them together. He could very well have convinced her dad that she was better off in the dark. He could very well have done so just to protect himself and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Coulson continued to pace, now in silence. Daisy let him do so. He was thinking. He was thinking about all the logical reasons not to trust Fury. From the growing look of concern on his face, the list was quite long. "Okay," he finally agreed, though the word seemed to cause him pain. He was practically grimacing as he continued. "I'll allow you to do this, but we keep it quiet. You and Ward get along well. If you trust him then he can go with you and Raina, and you'll do what you have to. I'll get backup from S.H.I.E.L.D HQ and look into these Centipede connections… Ian Quinn is on here? Wow. That shouldn't surprise me but it does."

Yeah, Daisy had had the same response. "I trust Ward with my life. We can tell the others that Ward and I went to investigate ourselves because I can't be around when there are more agents who might recognize me."

Coulson nodded, "I don't like lying to them, but for now that will work. You or Ward are to report in every six hours. I don't trust Raina as far as I can throw her."

Daisy didn't either, so she had no problem agreeing to that. She was simply glad that Coulson was siding with her. Their lives really didn't make sense and it was high time Daisy got some answers. "If this works for me maybe you can try as well. There has to be more to the story. Tahiti is a magical place but… but I don't know why you were there for 15 months."

"Worry about yourself first Daisy," Coulson advised. "But I appreciate the gesture."

Daisy nodded. She got not being ready to find out all the lies you'd been told. She wasn't quite ready. The thing about life, though, is that it keeps going forward whether you're ready or not. You can try to cling on to the past, but the train pulling you forward will always be stronger. It's best just to let go and let yourself be pulled forward then injure yourself trying to hold onto what you can't. Daisy was being pulled forward, and Coulson would be eventually as well, but for now they both had to follow their given paths.

Currently Daisy's path involved explaining this whole mess to Ward. The whole of the team was waiting outside Coulson's office when he and Daisy came out, and they were all looking for directions. Daisy was selfishly glad that Coulson had to do the lying. He'd tell them the lie, and then, once Daisy and Ward were alone, she'd get to tell him the truth.

"Okay everyone, listen up," Coulson told them, as if they weren't all staring at him expectantly. "Daisy got Raina to give us a full rundown on Centipede bases and persons of interest. We have to go after them all, but we're going to need help. Because of that I'm calling HQ to ask for backup. I can't bring other agents in though while Daisy is around; her cover is too precarious as is. She and Ward have their own mission, which I'm sure they'll tell you all about after it's finished. Ward- Daisy will fill you in the details on the way. Daisy- get Raina to tell you were we're dropping you off."

"You're letting the two of them go off with Raina?" May questioned, her eyes growing small and suspicious. "Isn't that a bit much for them?"

"Agents Ward and Stark have both been with S.H.I.E.L.D for years, May," Coulson reminded his senior agent. "I trust them to handle things properly. Now we need to figure out how best to take down Centipede all at once because once they realize what intel we have…"

Daisy snuck out of the meeting as Coulson explained to Fitzsimmons and May their tasks. Ward noticed her leaving and followed right behind, his presence large and slightly overbearing. Clearly he didn't like being in the dark. Luckily Daisy didn't have to keep him that way. "Do you feel like telling me what's going on?"

Daisy put a finger to her lips and waited until they were on the other side of the Bus to answer Ward's questions. She stopped before doing so, knowing that she had to make him truly understand if he was to help her. This little trip with Raina would only be the start of her problems from the sound of it. Daisy's life before her father had never seemed important, but now it was all coming at her and ready to blow. It was a lot, but she was glad to have Ward by her side.

"There is a lot to explain," Daisy began taking a deep breath. Ward didn't press her though. He stood casually, looking at her with enough intensity to show he cared, but calmly enough that it didn't freak Daisy out. Damn. He was wonderful. Daisy had known that for a while, but she just felt her heart flutter at how concerned for her he looked. It was so nice to have someone care.

"I've told you that I lived in an orphanage until I met my father. The part I left out is that I was left at that orphanage by S.H.I.E.L.D agents. My village had been destroyed, supposedly by my 'monstrous' step-father. I was designated an 0-8-4, which always seemed strange to me, because we know where babies come from even if we don't know who their parents are. But it's starting to make sense. Raina knows my step-father. She claims he didn't destroy my village or kill my mom. She claims Hydra did." Now that piked Ward's interest. He went very very still, as anyone did at the mention of the organization. "I know. It sounds crazy but… I was attacked by a Hydra assassin, and I was taken somewhere. And the I forget a whole month. I wasn't in a coma Ward. Jemma was right. Everyone was right. There are videos of me around Stark Tower while I was supposed to be asleep. And I don't know why everyone lied to me, or why I forgot, but Raina has a device that could allow me to remember. She'll let me use it if I agree to meet my step-father and get answers about what happened and why I was considered an 0-8-4. But Coulson is worried that she'll try to stab me in the back while I use this device, and so I need you there. Please, will you help me?"

Ward's face softened, and he grabbed Daisy's hand. "Of course I'll help you. I've noticed you struggling. Jemma has told me how she thought your coma was made up. Anything to help you remember. Anything to help you."

Daisy smiled. She was so glad to have Ward. "Thank you. God I love you." Daisy's hand flew to her mouth, and her cheeks flushed red. "I don't mean… I mean that's something I say to all my friends when they're being wonderful and…"

Daisy trailed off because Ward was grinning. He wasn't hiding. He wasn't running. He wasn't even laughing at Daisy and her stupid slip of the tongue. He knew as well as she did that there was a lot more to her feelings for him than just saying 'I love you' instead of 'thank you'. They both knew because Ward felt the same way.

"It's okay Daisy," he told her with a smile. "I love you too," he said, before bending over to kiss her.

It was unlike any kiss Daisy and Steve had ever shared. Despite everything, Steve was still a man of the 40's. When they'd kissed it was always soft, short, and sweet. Kissing Grant was different. He was rough, and strong, and he didn't treat Daisy like something about to break. He kissed her like one might kiss the sun- radiating in its glory, but altogether respectful of its equally life-giving and deadly power. It was wonderful. Even as his tongue slipped into Daisy's mouth and she breathlessly pulled away, all she could think about was how wonderful it was. "You know I'm pretty sure it's against protocol to date a team member," Daisy teased.

Grant laughed, "I don't think we have to worry about protocol. But when this is over, when you remember, I think there can be a lot more of that… if you want. I have a suspicion things will be a lot easier for us once you remember."

Daisy so hoped so. A nice easy relationship with Grant Ward and a past that made sense- it sounded absolutely ideal to Daisy.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to do italics on AO3 so this chapter might make more sense if you go and read it on fanfiction. Otherwise, just try to guess which parts are the memories. All the memories are lifted right from Agent Starkling anyways, so you more or less know what's in them.

Chapter 20

Raina was being very, very helpful, and it freaked Daisy out. She didn't trust the woman. She just didn't. Even if everything she'd said was true and everything she'd done was altruistic… she considered bombs in people's eyes to be 'distasteful'. She even admitted to helping Daisy not because of what her step-father had done, but because of what he could do. Daisy was her bargaining tool, and so she was doing what she could to keep Daisy happy. That did not mean Raina was not a terrible, terrible person.

Ward didn't trust her at all either, which made Daisy feel better. He'd been silent since they all got off the Bus. He didn't like that Raina had, from a cell, called a car to drive them to where this device was. He didn't like that she was chatting up about Centipede business, uncaring to the fact that she'd betrayed the organization. He didn't like that they were enjoying the hospitality of people who their team were currently planning on eliminating in one quick stripe.

Ward also didn't like the fact that Centipede was about to go down. He'd sent a message to Garret about it, warning him, but it would prove to be a setback no doubt. Centipede had been the main project Garret was responsible for. He was high up in Hydra, yes, especially since the restructuring after Daisy exposed them. Garret still answered to people though. He still answered to people who would be very, very disappointed that their work was being disrupted. Of course S.H.I.E.L.D was not an organization of saints. S.H.I.E.L.D had only started because of Project Rebirth, and that project had been all about making a whole army of super-soldiers. Nick Fury was a narcissist. He'd love to see a whole team of Captain Americas. He'd undoubtedly have the Centipede research continued by S.H.I.E.L.D, and then Hydra could just ensure they had a hand in its use, but it was inconvenient to change how things would play out. Garret would pay for it.

But if Ward could return to Hydra Daisy Stark, not only with their programming, but as a true believer… well then both Garret and he would be let off the hook. No, they'd be lauded for their efforts. Daisy was brilliant, smarter than even her father, and able to hack anything. Plus she was trusted by every level of S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers. Her help would catalyze their takeover that had been so unfortunately delayed by Pierce's demise and the revelation of Insight. Daisy had put their plans back 50 years, but she could lead them ahead 50 more.

Of course there was also this new revelation. Ward hadn't known that Daisy was an 0-8-4. She had to be enhanced in some sense for that to be the case, though in what sense he didn't know. But undoubtedly there was someone older and wiser in Hydra who would know. Perhaps she could be the key to everything Hydra had sought, and if Daisy was the key… well then Ward was her locksmith. He could imagine the two of them, standing together, the rest of the world bending the knee to them.

It seemed like a wild and fanciful dream, but it was an all too possible reality. Every action Ward carried out from here on forward needed to be planned meticulously. He could not mess up anymore. He had to do everything right.

But he wasn't worried. Daisy had already admitted her love for him. She'd see, and she would follow him. Everything was falling directly into place.

Daisy laid back on the platform, holding Grant's hand as Raina hooked her up to the machine. "It might hurt you some, but only if you fight it," the woman explained, finishing the set up. "Just tell us what you see, and we'll help you piece things together."

Daisy nodded, her heart pounding. The pieces of her mind were about to fall into place, and she was more than a little scared about what they would create. She knew this was something she had to do, and she trusted that Ward would stop it if it was actually hurting her. It would be okay. It would be okay.

Raina turned the device on, and shooting pain went through Daisy. She screamed, but then she remembered Raina telling her to relax, and she allowed the images to wash over her.

Daisy was first aware of the pain in her chest, and then the cold shackles around her wrists and head. She was propped up on some sort of thing facing a blank screen. Her attacker was nowhere in sight, but before her stood Pierce.

"Captain Rodgers is alright, if that's what you're wondering," he assured her, smiling as if somehow that could make everything better. "The Winter Soldier did not wish to hurt him, only to retrieve you. Hydra never wants to kill. We are not monsters. Yes, we will go to extremes to achieve our ends, but your father built a super-suit to escape a cave. Surely you know about extremes."

At the mention of her father, Daisy strained against her cuffs, only to feel pain shooting down her body from where she'd been shot. "Well at least my family has always fought the Nazis."

"Is that why you're so reluctant to help our just cause? Because you associate us too much with modern society's embodiment of evil, the Nazi Party? If that be the case let me assure you that Hydra existed long before Hitler, and survived long after."

Daisy had never heard of pre-Nazi Hydra, but she didn't doubt it. History was full of groups there sewing evil deeds. "I will never agree with you about killing thousands of people just to maintain power! Kill me now, because I will never comply."

Pierce sighed, and then pressed a remote. The screen in front of Daisy burst to life, with images of the Hydra S.H.I.E.L.D and dozens of other things. "I didn't want to do this Daisy, I really didn't, but we need you. The Avengers are the greatest threat to our order, and you are the only one who can stop them. So you will comply, and compliance will be rewarded."

"My compliance will be rewarded," Daisy said aloud, shaking the memory from her head. She'd been captured by Hydra? What had they done to her? "Ward? Ward are you there?"

"I'm here," he answered, squeezing Daisy's hand tight. "Just relax Daisy. Your compliance will be rewarded." Daisy's heart seized at his words, and another image flashed through her head.

Doctor Garner shrugged, but looked pleased. "You save lives every day when you crack encryptions or track targets. Dozens of agents and even more civilians owe you their lives. Yet you've applied to be assigned to a field team a dozen times in the past 6 months alone. Why aren't you content?"

"Because there's a hole in me I just can't fill! Not with S.H.I.E.L.D! Not with Steve! Not with my Dad! There's just a hole and nothing is ever gonna change that!"

"Doctor Garner knew," Daisy whispered breathlessly, her eyes barely able to register the images of Raina and Grant. "He knew and he let me believe… they all knew."

"Think Daisy. Try to remember what happened at the end of the month. Why did you forget?"

Dad, Nat, Steve, Clint, Dad, Nat, Steve, Clint, Dad, Nat, Steve, Clint...

"Daisy, while you were out we ran some tests. The decision making part of your brain is basically off. Someone else made the decision to kill the Avengers, right? And you were just following through?"

"I had to comply."

"And do you know who tell you to comply?"

Of course she did. Daisy wasn't such a fool as to not know who she was working for. But telling was not complying. "Yes, but I'm not allowed to tell anyone. I can't."

"Daisy. Fury knows of a way that you can be free and not hurt those you love. But there's a price. We… You… You'd have to forget me Dais. We'd have to give you a new life. You'd be who you would have been, had you not found that letter."

"No," Daisy declared, sitting up the best her restraints would allow. "No. There has to be another way. Call Fitzsimmons or any scientist they can find another way. Maybe… maybe just make me forget the recent stuff. That can happen can't it? I don't want to lose you, not by forgetting you, not by killing you. There has to be another way!"  
Tony was crying, but he wiped away the tear from his little girl's eyes. "You're never going to lose me Daisy. Even if you don't know you have me you still will. You're my daughter. I love you."

"I want to know I have you please, find another way. I don't care if it's risky or… just find another way. Please, Dad, please."

"Compliance will be rewarded. I need to kill the Avengers."

"No," Ward told her. "That is no longer your mission. You have been asleep. Your new mission is to wake up. Every time you wake up you are to report to me. Do you understand? Every time you are awake find me and say 'Have you finished reading The Art of the Deal yet. I will then get us alone and give you more orders. Do you understand?" Daisy nodded. "What is your mission?"

"I am not to kill the Avengers. I am to ask you 'have you finished The Art of the Deal yet' very time I wake up."

Daisy sat up, pulling herself out of the machine. Her whole body shook, and she felt Ward wrap his strong arms around him. She tried to make sense of the things in her head, but even as she did more and more memories came back. She remembered it now. She remembered the conditioning, the desperate need to kill the Avengers. She remembered begging her dad to find some way to fix her without making her forget. She remembered… she remembered everything.

She pulled herself away from Ward. "You… What did you do to me?" She looked around. Raina was lying unconscious on the floor. "When… when did…." She looked around. She'd given her gun to Ward, and he still had it. He had it and his own gun, both on his belt, but definitely close enough that… "I trusted you. I loved you and you… you're Hydra! You're Hydra!"

Ward puckered his lips, and bent down to Daisy's height. She went to scramble off the table, but Ward pressed down her hands so she couldn't move. "Daisy, listen to me. At the moment you're confused. You're confused and disoriented. You just have to listen to me."

"No!" Daisy yelled, flailing to get him off of her. But he was right about one thing- she was disoriented. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't knock him away. "No I won't listen to you, you freaking Nazi!"

Ward sighed, "Daisy, your compliance will be rewarded. Just listen to me."

"NO!" Daisy yelled fighting, not just against him, but against his words. A part of her wanted to just relax and listen, but another part of her was still able to fight. She would not comply. She didn't want to be rewarded. She would not comply. "Let go of me you bastard I loved you!"

"You still do," Ward insisted, his eyes wide and pleading. It was enough to stop Daisy's flailing. He was right of course. She'd loved him ten minutes before; she loved him now. She didn't just stop loving him because everything had been a lie. Her feelings didn't disappear because he was a literal Nazi. Her head hurt so bad she wanted to cry… no… no she actually was crying.

"Please, just let me go," Daisy begged, her voice weak and cracking. "I need. I need to… I need."

"You need to sleep," Ward told her, letting one of her hands free as he moved his hand to push a hair from her face. "I brought sedatives. Please, let me sedate you. Things will make more sense later."

To hell they would. Daisy was confused, but being knocked out wouldn't make that any better. Whatever she felt about Ward, he'd given her an opportunity to run, and she was sure as hell going to take it. With her one free arm she elbowed him right in the gut, and pulled out of his grasp. She then made a break for the door, but before she got very far she felt a sting in her neck. She turned to see Ward holding one of Fitz's Icers, and then she fell to the darkness around her.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

When Daisy was fifteen, she'd been kidnapped for the first time. It had been dark and scary, and then, when she called for help, it was Phil Coulson who'd saved her. Her father had been off fighting the bigger battle. She'd always understood why he wasn't there, and she'd been glad for it. He had more important things to do than run around after his danger-magnet daughter. Daisy could take care of herself and he could take care of the world.

Daisy just wanted her dad. She'd been kidnapped again, and all she wanted, all she so desperately wanted, was for her dad to save her. She wanted him to come bursting through these strange white walls, and to punch the owners of the strange voices, and to scoop her up in his arms and tell her everything would be okay.

That wasn't going to happen. It wasn't going to happen not because he was fighting a battle or because she was an adult and supposed to do things for herself. It wasn't going to happen because she hadn't even tried to contact him in the months she'd been living as 'Agent Skye Johnson'. It wasn't going to happen because she hadn't tried talking to him about all the things that didn't make sense in her head. Instead she'd turned to Ward. Wonderful, kind, manipulative, Nazi Grant Ward.

Daisy opened her eyes and saw him talking to another man. He didn't seem to notice she was awake, but that didn't mean she was going to escape. The room she was in seemed locked up, and there were about a dozen people all in there. Plus there were restraints on her wrists and ankles. No, she wasn't going anywhere, but when she got free she was going to rip Ward's face off.

Ward seemed upset, and it made Daisy smile. He was flailing his arms, arguing something, but the man he was talking to, a big, bulky sort, just shook his head. Ward lost the argument, and Daisy grinned. Good. She was very, very glad to see him lose. The bastard. He'd made her love him. He would pay for this.

"If a guy ever breaks your heart I'll rip theirs out," Daisy remembered her dad saying. She grinned, You go Dad. Rip it right out, please.

One of the men noticed Daisy was awake, and he moved closer to her. He was on the older side, with white hair and glasses, but he looked sleek and refined. Daisy decided instantly that she hated him. Then again she was pretty sure by the symbol on the wall that she was in a Hydra facility, so she was planning on hating everyone on sight. This man especially however Daisy hated because he just fit the look. He looked exactly like a Nazi doctor was supposed to. Except that wasn't a good thing… because Daisy remembered reading about Nazi experiments during school.

"I'm glad you're finally awake. It's seems our Ward overestimated your size with the dosage he gave you. You have been out for a number of days," the man told her, with a crisp accent- German. Ha. Literal Nazi. Daisy was slightly disoriented by his words, though it explained why she felt like crap. Still it had to be a good thing if she'd been missing for days. She was supposed to be reporting to Coulson every six hours. By now he had to know she was missing and then…

And then nothing. Coulson had wanted either her or Ward to report in every six hours. Coulson had no idea that he'd just trusted Daisy's safety to a Nazi brain-washer. He wouldn't question it one bit when Ward made the reports of some bullshit mission they weren't actually on. It would probably take at least a week for Coulson to wonder why he hadn't heard from Daisy at all. No. Help was not coming for her that way.

"My name is Dr. Whitehall. I have to say, I am pleased to meet you. I have been searching for you for a long, long time… almost twenty years I believe. Ever since I discovered your mother had birthed a child as gifted as her."

Daisy's heart stopped. What? What was this man saying about her mother? Daisy barely knew anything about her mother. While she hadn't been conceived from a one-night-stand, Daisy's father had never spoken much about Jaiying. That was really all Daisy knew about her, that she was named Jaiying, and from China. Oh, well that and that she'd been dismembered. S.H.I.E.L.D claimed her stepfather was responsible, but what had Raina said? Something about Hydra actually having been the ones to kill her. Did this man…

Daisy struggled against her restraints, ready to claw the man to shreds. He'd killed her. He'd killed her mother. If it wasn't for him Daisy would have been raised by her parents. She would have been raised by her parents for real. She wanted to see Dr. Whitehall torn limb from limb just as her mother had been. She wanted him to suffer.

"Daisy, calm down. You're just going to hurt yourself."

Daisy stopped at Ward's gentle warning. His voice was soft, sweet. He still spoke to Daisy as if he cared. He still spoke as if he was a man in love with her. Well Daisy wasn't stupid. As much as she still loved Ward, she understood that he most certainly did not love her back. He was a psycho Nazi, and second on her list of people she'd tear apart. "Like you care about hurting me," Daisy spit back.

Dr. Whitehall chuckled, "I would not be so quick to decry your only ally Daisy. Ward here has been most opposed to your situation. He seems to think you could be a willing participant, if we just explained to you the truth."

"The truth is you're all psycho and when I get out of here, and know I will get out of here, my father is going to tear you limb to limb while I help!" Daisy growled, furious. She knew it was not beneficial at all to threaten them, but it was mildly enjoyable. Especially because she knew it was true. She always did escape, and her father always did win. This time would be no different.

"Your father may come and kill us if he wishes, but he'd have to know you were missing first. Perhaps if you hadn't hid from him this would have been more difficult, but here you are, in my hands, just as your mother was," Dr. Whitehall answered. "But Grant Ward has been very helpful, making the connection between you and your mother. Your father we always knew about, but his powers are artificial, created by a machine. I am far more interested in what you inherited from your mother."

Daisy's blood ran cold. Raina had spoken of her mother being gifted, enhanced. Maybe she was right. Maybe that explained everything. That didn't make Daisy feel much better. She'd rather be tortured than used as a lab rat.

"Please," Ward spoke up again, earning him a glare from the burly man he'd been arguing with before. "Explain to her the truth behind Hydra. She deserves that at least."

Dr. Whitehall sighed, "Very well. Perhaps it is best you understand. See you exposed Hydra as Nazis still yielding power in our time, but we are far more than that. Hydra goes back thousands of years before Adolf Hitler was ever conceived. We are devoted to returning power to one who has lost it, and returning from the place of shadows our great leader."

Daisy stared at the man. Hydra was older than Nazis? That was cheerful. But what the heck was he going on about? "Um, I think your organization might have been founded by the same people who believe Thor is a god. But I'm just theorizing here."

Dr. Whitehall scowled. "It is far more than that. There are people living on this earth who are not of it, not completely. The race of the Kree created a race of warriors much as our Project Centipede intended to. But the Kree did not plan ahead, and their warriors rebelled. The Kree thought all the Inhumans were killed during the rebellion, but enough remained to reproduce, and now thousands of seemingly human beings contain within them the ability to become more, and in doing so return to us our leader so long banished from this earth."

Daisy had always assumed that any true Nazi believer was insane. Now she was discovering that even if Hydra was more than just Nazis, they were no less crazy. "Oh, of course. Unbind me, grant me my superpowers, and I will bring your alien god back here to earth. Deal."

"Daisy," Ward warned from his corner of the room. But Dr. Whitehall laughed it off.

"I have little concern for bringing back our founder," Whitehall admitted. "But what I have far greater interest is the abilities you might have within you. Your mother has the ability to heal, ironic considering how she died, and that ability has granted me life far beyond my years. Perhaps you have an equally as useful ability."

Daisy's heart pounded heavy. Whitehall dismembered her mother. Was that what he planned to do to her? "Look, I don't know what you've been told but I really don't have any abilities unless being really good with computers counts. I really don't know what you want from me!"

"Of course you don't have abilities, yet, but that is where we've been fortunate. Pierce was a valuable asset to Hydra, but he was not our only one. Garret has easily reclaimed something so rudely stolen from me by Agent Carter back in the 40's. S.H.I.E.L.D never used its resources to discover what it truly did, but if they had they would have kept it far more secure."

One of the other nameless lab-coats, armed with thick black gloves, pulled a strange metallic object out of a box. He seemed careful about touching it, as he placed it on the bed right next to Daisy. Daisy couldn't get a good look at it, but something about it made her feel odd. It was as if it was calling to her, but not in words or even noises. It spoke to something deeper within Daisy, calming her, relaxing her, and most of all calling her forth.

"You'll touch it eventually," Dr. Whitehall promised, a grin on his face as the door to the room opened and those gathered started to leave. "You'll resist for a few hours I'm sure, but you'll touch it eventually. I know the stories of your kind. You won't be able to resist. And once you touch it you'll see."

Dr. Whitehall left, as did everyone but Ward. Ward continued to watch Daisy, before coming over and unbuckling her restraints. Daisy rubbed her wrists, and then punched Ward in the face. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm trying to make this easier for you Daisy," Ward told her, not even seeming to care that she'd punched him. "I didn't want things to go like this, but I'm not in a position to change things. I need your help, and you'll be more powerful. They all keep saying you'll be more powerful."

It struck Daisy then that Ward was just as much a pawn as she was. She didn't know how he'd come to be a pawn of Hydra, but she also knew she didn't care. Maybe he was a pawn, but he was a willing pawn. She was being pushed down the board by a very strong hand. "If I'm more powerful it's easier to fight you."

Ward chuckled. "When I'm the only one who can help you, then you'll see differently," he told her, before walking out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Honestly I don't remember the details of the Obelisk and the Terrigenesis, so sorry if I got it wrong. Anyways this is an Au so maybe it's just different.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Daisy wasn't about to give in and touch it, but Dr. Whitehall was right. Not touching it was becoming increasingly difficult. It was definitely speaking to Daisy, though at this point it was yelling. Everything about it felt so right. Daisy now remembered her conversation with Dr. Garner about the feeling that she was missing something. No wonder he'd been prompting her to say it again after she'd been made to forget the first time. He wanted her to be aware of her sense of overall loss.

That sense disappeared in the presence of the device. The closer Daisy got to it, the closer she got to touching it, the more whole she felt. Everything seemed right with the device. Daisy didn't know what kind of strange magic it oozed, but she felt so wonderful around it. It was so tempting to touch. She knew that she shouldn't. If Ward and Hydra wanted her to touch it then she really shouldn't, but it was so, so tempting.

She only lasted so long though. She couldn't climb off the bed without touching it accidentally, and she could only remain still so long. Eventually, after she'd wet the bed and created an utter mess, she caved. Daisy picked up the device … and nothing happened.

Well, not nothing. The device began to glow in her hand and Daisy dropped it, but besides for the odd symbols appearing all over the device, nothing happened. Whatever spectacular transformation Dr. Whitehall had been expecting didn't occur. Daisy was fine. She felt the same- tired, dirty, and angry. She felt normal though. It scared her a little bit how normal she felt.

Then Daisy started to laugh. It began slowly, hysterically, but it blew into a full on riot. Whatever was supposed to happen had failed. Dr. Whitehall was wrong. He was wrong and it was hilarious. "It didn't work you bozos!" Daisy screamed at the door. "I touched it and it didn't work!"

Nothing happened for a moment, besides Daisy slinking the floor laughing, and crying, at the same time. Then half-a-dozen armed guards burst in, guns at the ready. All they found was a hysterical, broken woman, and a stone which looked the same as always. "All clear, sir, she's telling the truth."

Dr. Whitehall came in, surveying the scene. Ward was right behind him. They both looked at Daisy, crumpled on the floor. Her laughs had devolved further into tears, but she was clearly hysterical. That didn't slow down Doctor Whitehall. He grabbed Daisy by the hair, pulling her up. She didn't scream, and her tears dried instantly, an intense hatred filling her eyes instead.

"Touch it again. SHOW ME HOW IT WORKS!" Dr. Whitehall screamed, tossing Daisy towards where the stone lay on the ground. She waited for a second, turning to look at Ward. He was standing rigidly still, his eyes sympathetic to her plight, but making no move to help. Screw you, thought Daisy. He claimed to love her, to want what was best for her, but if he truly did he would have done something, anything, to help her. Instead he did nothing.

Whitehall kicked Daisy in the ribs, and the howled in pain, too surprised to catch herself. Ward made a move then, towards Whitehall, but the doctor held up his gloved hand without even looking at Ward. Ward undoubtedly would win if it was just them 1x1, but it wasn't. Dr. Whitehall did not do his own fighting, and Ward could not beat all of Hydra.

Daisy grabbed the stone before Dr. Whitehall could injure her further. There was little use in resisting when she knew nothing would happen. And nothing did. Unless Dr. Whitehall wanted a pretty pathetic nightlight, he'd failed.

Of course men like Dr. Whitehall did not accept failure, not their own at least. Instead he directed his anger by attacking Ward. It was scary actually, how the older, lither man managed to pin Ward so thoroughly against the wall. "What happened? Why didn't it work?"

"I don't know," Ward told the man, pushing him off. He didn't fight back though which made Daisy wonder how dangerous a position Ward himself was in. It would serve him right if every move could get him killed. Every move could get Daisy killed as well. "I told Garret everything I know about her and you're the one who brought up the magical Obelisk."

"I should never have allowed Garret in, and you, you're even more useless!" Dr. Whitehall cursed. "I should have you shot."

"Wait!" Daisy cried, shocked by herself. Dr. Whitehall and Ward were surprised as well, and they turned to stare at her.

Dr. Whitehall knelt down, grabbing Daisy's chin and staring her straight in the eyes. "All he has done to you and you still protect him. You are more pathetic than your mother."

Now Daisy hadn't completely lost her senses, and at Whitehall's bait she spit in his face. He slapped her of course, but Daisy just smiled. He couldn't kill her. He still needed her for when he figured out how to use the stone. Daisy could take all the pain he dealt, and he could not deal anything harsher.

Whitehall turned back to Ward, standing up and wiping his face with a handkerchief. "You have still not given me a reason to keep you alive."

"I can find Raina," Ward bartered. Daisy could see the sweat on his brow, the fear in his eyes. He was legitimately scared of Whitehall, which meant he had some reason for not fleeing. Despite everything the part of Daisy that loved him couldn't help but hope he was staying for her. "She'll know what it is we're missing."

"Do it fast, before I run out of use for her," Whitehall threatened. He then turned back towards Daisy, and called in a few guards. "See that she's bathed and secured. I want her ready whenever we get the chance for a second test."

When her dad first went missing, Daisy had been such a basket case she'd forgotten to shower for a week. Eventually Pepper had stepped in, standing outside the door of the bathroom to listen to the running water, and sending Daisy back in when she came out after only two minutes. That had lasted for almost two weeks after the first time, and somehow the routine had become pleasant. It was a massive invasion of her privacy that proved that someone out there was watching out for her. It was comforting.

Being forcibly bathed by Hydra was not comforting. They didn't leave her alone for one, not even as she got in the shower, and all of Daisy's guards were large men. They didn't touch her, thank God, but their eyes didn't leave her once. They watched as she struggled to rub a bar of soap over her body while her hands were cuffs. They watched as she pulled on the strapless top they'd given her so they didn't have to unbind her hands. In a sense she was grateful that they saw her as such a threat, but it was infuriating as well. It was almost as infuriating as when they threw her back in her cell, new sheets on the bed, with the stone still lying in the center of the floor.

Daisy found herself unable to stop thinking of the stone. She'd pick it up, put it back down because it felt so odd, and then pick it back up again. She didn't believe in destiny, not the way Raina did, but she couldn't help but wonder. What was the stone supposed to do? Why hadn't it done anything? Why did it feel so infinite, so equally wonderful and terrible? Why couldn't Daisy just forget about it?

Well for one she didn't have much else to do in her cell. They left her there for days, or possibly days. They weren't bringing her three meals a day, trying to keep her weak probably, but Daisy honestly didn't know if it was one or two a day. She didn't know how much time passed. She slept, some, but not enough. She was more than a little obsessed with the stone, and whenever she tried to sleep she found herself consumed by the thought of it.

She was eating when she passed out, though that probably had more to do with the sedatives in her potatoes than her exhaustion. When she woke up she was neither in her room or alone. About a dozen other people, all her age or a few years older, and most speaking some language she didn't recognize, milled about a stone cave. Raina was there as well, and so Daisy scrambled to her feet. Raina simply smiled.

"They told me I was to wait until you awoke for us to begin," Raina answered. "It's a good thing you awoke quickly. I called your father before coming in here, and so Hydra only has an hour head start if they want to keep you after this is all over."

Daisy didn't know where she was, but she did know what was going on. Whatever piece they'd been missing before Raina had fulfilled. Now Daisy really would change, and then, depending on how long the process took, she'd be leaving with either Hydra or her psycho-monstrous father.

As Raina approached the center of the room and placed the stone on the pedestal, all those gathered began paying attention. Then they began screaming, because the stone began to open, revealing crystals inside. As it opened, a pulse of energy burst through the room, stumbling everyone. Everything seemed normal for a moment, though Daisy certainly didn't feel normal, and then she noticed that parts of Raina seemed to be being covered by stone. When Daisy went to move she discovered she couldn't, as she too was being covered in stone. The same thing was happening to two others, a guy and a girl. The others were simply screaming, cowering against the wall.

In all the commotion Daisy kept her calm. Oh her heart pounded, and she was pretty sure she was going to die, but she didn't scream. Instead she whispered, more for her own sake than anything, "I'm sorry Dad." Just as she did, she felt her lips, and then her eyes, be covered.

And then the world exploded.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is implied that it's only because Trip attacked the crystals that he was turned to stone, so we're going with them being harmless if you're just there and don't touch them whether or not that is truly correct. Also, reminder that this is an AU. I know many things are different, that's the point. (Slight spoiler but you've probably guessed it)- for the Maximoffs, I decided when I first began writing the original Starkling that they were Inhumans and the scepter just worked the same way the Obelisk did. I have since changed my mind on that, but this has always been part of the story, so bear with me please.

Chapter 23

For once, Daisy did not pass out. Instead she felt stronger than ever. Every cell in her body seemed to shift and change, growing into something stronger. Soon enough she felt invincible, and she burst out, releasing the energy of an earthquake as she broke from the stone, breathing heavily.

Most of the others were cowering to the sides, crying hysterically, but Daisy noticed three other bodies encased in stone. Raina was one of them, and she didn't seem to break out at first. Daisy wondered if she was dead. As horrible as it was Daisy wouldn't have been terribly upset if Raina was dead.

A woman little bit older than Daisy began clawing the rock off of her, and a man seemed to vibrate until the pieces just fell apart. Then he ran over to the woman faster than Daisy had ever seen, and pulled all the rock away. They started whispering in a language Daisy didn't recognize, and so Daisy went around, checking on the others. Besides for Raina who was still in the stone, they all were fine.

The doors opened, and before Daisy could consider running, two dozen armed guards came in. Dr. Whitehall followed, staring at the marvelous crystals and then at Daisy. He smiled, and it made Daisy's blood run cold. "If you were not affected by the Obelisk, please step over to this wall."

The other people all stared at Dr. Whitehall, but then slowly moved. They were being honest, which Daisy thought dangerously stupid, and the only two who didn't move towards the other wall were the two that had, in fact, been touched by the stone.

The stone around Raina began to crack, and Dr. Whitehall pursed his lips. "Restrain these three. Shoot the rest," Whitehall ordered. Screaming ensued, but it was quickly snuffed out by the Hydra firing squad. Daisy's instincts kicked in and she ran to help them, but she was quickly grabbed by none other than Ward.

"It's too late for them," Ward whispered in Daisy's ear, pinning her back. She struggled, kicking and fighting, but she was too weak, weak for terror, the initial burst of strength fading, and Ward's only goal at the moment was to keep Daisy from doing something regrettable for the both of them.

Ward pulled Daisy from the room, and the other two who'd been affected by the Obelisk were brought as well. Daisy turned her head, the last image she saw was of Raina's hand, and bodies littered across the floor.

They stuffed Daisy and the two others in a van. They were all silent. The two others, who clearly knew each other, sat very, very close, and very, very, still. Daisy was still as well, trying to understand the new feelings inside her, and trying to focus on getting them out of the van.

"Who are you?" the man she was with asked, distracting Daisy. He had an Eastern European accent, not quite Russian, not quite anything Daisy knew actually. He was normal looking in many ways, average height and build. Daisy of course knew he wasn't normal. Whatever made her different made him different as well. Besides, she could have sworn his hair had been brown when he went into the stone. Now it was almost silver.

"Vhat have you done to us?"

"I… I haven't done anything. Hydra… this was all Hydra… Those bastards. I'm going to kill them all. For what they've done to us, I'm going to kill them all."

"These are not the test ve signed up for," the girl whispered, her eyes scanning the room. Daisy was beginning to think they were siblings. They didn't look the same, not really, but the way they moved and spoke was the same. Besides, Daisy hadn't really gotten a good look at them before this began. Perhaps they had looked more alike before his hair began changing color. " I can't believe they killed them. Vhy did they kill them?"

Daisy gulped. She didn't know how to explain to these people, who Daisy suspected were not much older than her, that they were dealing with people who didn't need a reason to kill. "They were no longer useful. I think… I think whatever that was it only works on certain people. People with a common ancestor. I was told… I was told that… your hands… their glowing red."

The girl looked down at her hands and discovered they were, in fact, glowing red. She seemed panicked, whispering quickly in their native language. It wasn't quite Russian, but it was close enough that Daisy, who'd learned some Russian from Natasha, could get the gist of what she was saying. Basically- she was panicking.

"Listen, it's okay. I… I know about things like this," Daisy pleaded, but if she was being honest she was panicking too. The girl had come out of the rock with glowing hands. Ward, Raina, Dr. Whitehall- they'd all implied that Daisy had the ability to gain powers. If the mist gave this girl powers then what had it done to Daisy?

"You need to stay calm," Daisy told herself as much as them. "What street did you live on as a kid? Tell me the name." Daisy didn't really know what she was doing. It was something she'd been told by Dr. Garner to do whenever she began having a breakdown. She'd never actually done it, mostly because she didn't have a street she lived on consistently when little. It struck Daisy then that maybe these two hadn't and she was being insensitive and…

"Glavnaya," the boy prompted for her. She nodded. "Next to us was Semya, and then Lybulu."

"Semya had a bomb in the middle of it," the girl said, and yet somehow that made her laugh. "But it did not go off. We all took turns poking it."

"Papa screamed at us," the boy chuckled. "Oh how stupid ve vere."

The red light emitting from the girl's hands had dissipated, and she seemed calm enough. They were all calm enough, especially considering the number of dead people around them. At the moment they were all just selfishly glad that they weren't the dead people.

"My name is Pietro," the boy finally offered. He and the girl weren't locked down like Daisy was, and he actually moved across the van to unlock Daisy's restraints. "This is my sister Wanda. You are American?"

Daisy nodded, "I suppose… apparently I was born in China, but I don't remember." It was just one of many things she'd forgotten about. Now she was remembering lots of things, but she doubted she'd remember that. "I'm Skye… No, I'm Daisy."

The girl studied Daisy, but she finally nodded, "You are used to lying. Ve understand, Daisy. Ve are used to lying too."

Daisy didn't know what exactly to say to that, so she simply nodded. Then she began looking around the van again. "We need to find a way out of here. I don't quite know what is happening to us, but I know we need to get out and call my father. He can help us, all of us. And he can bring Hydra down."

Wanda and Pietro exchanged a look. "I am sure he is a good man," Wanda began hesitantly. "But I do not think your father can help us. Ve should call the police."

Daisy couldn't help it. She smiled. The lies, the cover stories- they were no use to Daisy anymore. She could feel that she was different, and it scared her. It truly scared her. Despite that fear, she knew though that the Avengers, that her father, could help. He was her hope and her solace. She wanted him to be the same thing for Wanda and Pietro, which was why she decided to tell them the truth. "Trust me, my father can help us. I don't know exactly how to say this, but he knows a thing or two about Hydra and what's been done to us. He's… well he's Tony Stark."

Wanda and Pietro went rigidly cold until Pietro came at Daisy with Inhuman speed. Before she knew it he was attacking her, throwing punches than should have been possible and yelling the name 'Stark'. Daisy acted on instinct, throwing out her hands in front of her. Pietro went flying, slamming into the wall with such force the whole van shook. Daisy's heart practically stopped, and without thinking she tried to do the same thing against the van doors. They burst open, and Daisy, bruised and bleeding from Pietro's attack, tried to crawl out. Wanda and a recovering Pietro stared at her, clearly thinking it was useless.

It was useless of course. The Hydra agents driving the van had felt the attack and stopped the van on the side of the road. Daisy wasn't even a foot away from the van when they pulled her up from the ground and slammed her back in. Dr. Whitehall had been following behind them, and he pulled up at this point, smirking.

"Perhaps it is best if we sedate them all for transfer."

Pietro was suddenly very fast, but even he wasn't fast enough to avoid the tranqs the three of them were then shot with.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Normally Daisy hated waking up in a different spot than she'd fallen asleep in, but at least there were no dead bodies around her, which had happened before. There was Ward, however, so Daisy was pretty sure she would have preferred bodies. "No sir, she's just busy figuring things out with her step-father," he was saying, and Daisy realized he had to be talking to Coulson.

"COULSON! HE'S HYDRA!" Daisy yelled, but Ward just gave her a look and chuckled. Clearly her message wasn't about to get through.

"Please, I saw you waking up. I just wanted to know what you'd do," he told her, pulling up a chair to sit by her side. "You didn't past the test, for the record."

Daisy moved to punch him, but discovered that just moving her fingers hurt like hell. Actually, even remaining perfectly skill hurt like hell. She hadn't realized it at first because she'd been so angry to see Ward, but every bone, every muscle, every inch of her body hurt like hell. She could see her arms, and they were bruised and blue. She remembered Pietro attacking her with superhuman speed, but she'd barely been able to feel the blows they'd come so fast. Now she could feel the full weight of them, and it hurt more than Daisy could believe.

"Don't try to move," Ward suggested a little bit too late. "It turns out your saint of a father built the bomb that killed their parents." Shit. "Life is cruel in that way I suppose."

Daisy huffed. She knew all about life being cruel. "Just like it's cruel to kidnap and experiment on me?"

"You know I was against that," Ward whispered, his voice soft. He was running his hands through Daisy's hair, and she didn't want to risk the pain to swipe his hand away. Though the longer he did it the more she was thinking it might be worth it. "I never wanted to see that happen to you Daisy, but Dr. Whitehall is the real boss around her. Coulson caught on to Garret while you were out and the other heads of Hydra took him down. I've lost any protection I once had. The only reason I'm worth keeping around is to control you."

Daisy didn't really know what he was talking about, but she liked to think that Coulson taking down this 'Garret' meant that they were getting close to discovering that, apparently, Hydra existed far more in S.H.I.E.L.D than the Project Insight team Daisy had already ousted. It seemed like she'd missed a lot the first time around. A whole lot.

"If you're trying to make me feel bad for you it's not working," Daisy told Ward, gritting her teeth and then cringing at the pain that caused. (And then wincing at the pain that cringing caused). "What the hell did he do to me?"

"Damn well near beat you to death," Ward answered his voice dark and low. "I'm going to kill him if I get a chance. Don't try to tell me not to. I'm going to kill him."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "That's what you are, isn't it. A killer Nazi. God I can't believe I fell in love with you. You're a monster. None of the man I loved was real at all."

Ward's face fell slack, and he cupped her face with his hand. She hated that she couldn't move, that she was forced to look into his dark eyes. She'd loved those eyes once. She sort of loved them even now. That simple fact hurt a lot more than all the bruises. "Daisy it was all real, all of it. How I feel about you. How I made you laugh. I promise it was all real. I never lied to you. I just couldn't tell you. I was trying to make your memories come back. I was trying to make you understand. Raina just… Raina just ruined my timetable."

"What happened to Raina?"

"She's not dead," Ward told her, though the tension in his voice implied that he wished it was different. "I heard something about her breaking out of the stone a monster and then fleeing. Hydra met your step-father as well. He killed every agent we still had in San Juan."

Her step-father. Daisy had practically forgotten about him. In her defense she'd been unconscious more than she'd been conscious the past few… well Daisy didn't know how long it had been actually. Still she had the feeling that she now needed her step-father whether she wanted to or not. "What did they do to me?"

"I don't know," Ward admitted, finally moving his hand off of Daisy so he could pull at his own scalp. "But I promise I'm here to help you through it. We'll figure it out together."

"Ward, when are you going to get I want nothing to do with you?" Daisy saw his teeth clench when she said it, and it just felt wonderful. "You. Are. A. Nazi. I am not going to love you."

Ward slammed his fist against her bed. "Damn it Daisy. You did though. You said you loved me. You can't just shut that off now. I know you can't."

Daisy was scared by his reaction, and suddenly she wondered just how stable he was. Obviously he had to be a certain kind of crazy if he thought being a Nazi was a good idea, but just how crazy was he? Was he dangerous? Daisy knew he was dangerous, she'd always known he was dangerous, but she'd never had to wonder if he was dangerous to her. Now she was wondering it. Now she was really, really, really wondering it. The last thing she needed at the moment was Ward freaking out and trying to kill her. She was too injured at the moment. She needed allies, even the crazy Nazi kind. At least Ward was 'in love' with her. That provided her with a semblance of safety.

"Okay, you're right," Daisy told him, her voice soft. The worst bit was that it was true. She wasn't just appeasing him to protect herself. It had always been true. "I do love you, or I love who I thought you were. I just don't understand. Hydra wants to take over the world, or to destroy it, or to bring back some evil alien? I don't even know. I just… I just don't understand. Explain it to me. It's not like there is much else I can do. Tell me why I should believe that you're not a psychopath."

"I'm not a psychopath. I know it might not make sense to you. You have a father who cares about you, two it seems. I had no one. Everything I told you, about my brothers, about my parents- it's all true. It just wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D that got me out of it. Garret was the one who saved me. I owed him everything… and now he's gone. Now I have nothing… nothing but you."

So he wasn't in love with her; he was obsessed with her. He was putting everything he had on Daisy… at least she could use that to her advantage. "Then help me. If the only people you care about are Garret and me, then why would you stay with Hydra? They killed Garret. They're torturing me. Whitehall killed my mother for her powers. What do you think he's going to do to…" Daisy went silent as the door opened and the man in question came in.

"Now that she's awake I'm going to ask you to run along," Whitehall told Ward. "Daisy and I need to have a little chat." Ward got up silently, falling right in line. Daisy sighed. Whatever Ward said it appeared he was cowing to Hydra and leaving Daisy at their mercy.

Once Ward was gone, Dr. Whitehall sat in his chair by Daisy's bed. "You can relax," he told her. "You're too injured at the moment for me to run any tests. I'm not even sure what you did to throw Mr. Maximoff, though it was impressive. It shattered your wrists though. That must hurt."

Daisy had been wondering why the pain in her wrists seemed to go below the surface. She mostly was wondering how in the world she'd thrown Pietro, because she hadn't even touched him. She knew she was different now, just as Wanda and Pietro were, but the specifics… It scared Daisy. It terrified her. When she was a child she'd wanted powers desperately. Now she was smart enough to know better. Now she was smart enough to know that she needed to find a way of reversing whatever had happened.

"What did you do to me?" Daisy asked, hating that she couldn't even move to look the mad scientist in the eye. "Why did you do it? Why kill all those people?"

"They all volunteered for the test," Whitehall countered. "The test was over. I couldn't risk setting them free and Tony Stark hearing a rumor about his daughter being experimented on."

"You're a monster. You can't just play God, test things and kill the subjects the test fails for"

"I test theories. There is a difference. This is science."

Daisy rolled her eyes, "Okay Mengele."

"A pioneer of our craft," Whitehall responded, and Daisy remembered that insulting Nazis wouldn't really get her very far among Nazis. "He was an inspiration of mine, though his view was small. I see the larger picture. I see what we can become if we can harness the powers others naturally have. Your mother has given me longevity. I wonder what you can do."

Daisy gulped. She kept forgetting that this was the monster who dissected her mother. She kept avoiding wondering what he meant by her giving him life. She considered for a second asking, but decided she really didn't want to know. "If you can't run tests why are you even bothering me?"

"I wanted to see if you were healing quickly," Whitehall answered, standing up. "That was your mother's gift. It seems, though the mist hasn't hurt you, that the result of exposure is not inherited. It is an interesting fact I must make a note of."

"You're a monster," Daisy told him again as he went to leave. She hadn't even expected him to hear, nor had she really planned on saying it. He did hear though, because he turned towards her, stopping before opening the door.

"I would be careful how you use that word now, Daisy, as only one of us is still human."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Daisy was still in bad shape, and she slept most of the time. Everyone seemed to leave her alone, or, if they did not, they came in while she was asleep. Daisy didn't exactly know how long she'd been recovering, but she knew that, besides for her broken wrists, her injuries had healed enough that moving didn't hurt, so it had to have been a number of days.

Even once Daisy felt well enough to get up and move she did not. Dr. Whitehall had said he couldn't run tests on her while she was injured. If he knew she was no longer injured… while her chances of survival would decrease exponentially. She was much safer if she lay very, very still, though it was increasingly difficult. Daisy was not the type to remain still. She was a mover and a shaker.

A shaker. That was the best word Daisy could come up with for what she'd done to Pietro. She'd had a lot of time to think about what happened, and as she went over things in her head, she began to understand. She remembered feeling the vibrations and using them to push Pietro off of her. Even now, as she thought about it, she could feel the vibrations around her. When she closed her eyes she was doing more than pretending to sleep; she was doing recon. She could feel the vibrations all around her, and she got a better understanding of where she was.

The few planes that she heard were all to close, so she knew she was at a high altitude. It also explained why, even as she healed, her breathing seemed strained. She was somewhere in the mountains, though where she could not know.

She was being left alone for the most part, but the complex she was in was bustling with people. Daisy had been stupid. Daisy had been naïve. She'd honestly thought that there couldn't be more than a dozen Hydra agents left. Clearly she'd been wrong. There had to be at least a hundred people in this base alone. Daisy could feel their steps, their movements. It was a bit overwhelming honestly, trying to get a picture of it all in her head. She knew there were lots of people here though. If she had to guess the base was full of soldiers, scientists, and yes, even a few other enhanced. Once or twice Daisy would notice a strange feeling, the sense of someone running at breakneck speed. She could only assume it was Pietro. He'd have to have been enhanced for him to come at Daisy the way he had. He had super speed. Steve was fast. The serum had given him super strength, and that extended to every muscle, including his legs. He could run far faster than a normal human. Pietro was leagues beyond that though. With proper training Daisy could only imagine how fast he might be able to go. He could reach the speed of sound for certain. Perhaps he could even run at or close the speed of light, effectively stopping time around him. Daisy wanted to know. She wouldn't experiment on him the way Dr. Whitehall would. She wouldn't want to find out in that way, but she wanted to know. She wanted to see him reach his full potential. Until he'd brutally attacked her he'd seemed like a nice guy. Daisy couldn't even really blame him for attacking her. They'd all been on edge. They didn't know each other. They didn't know what was going on. They didn't know what had happened to them. All Pietro had known was that Daisy was a Stark, and that Tony Stark had killed their parents.

Daisy frowned at the thought. She didn't really think of her father as responsible for their deaths, though she understood how Wanda and Pietro might see it that way. It had certainly been wrong for him to make a fortune off of weapons. War profiteering… it was a tricky slope. Yes her father had always used their excess money to help people, often the people affected by the wars his weapons were used in, but that didn't make up for it. He was quite possibly the most brilliant man alive. The technologies he'd created had launched warfare into a new century. Yes, he'd only sold that technology to the United States military, but that didn't mean others didn't have it. Hell Daisy had been on the receiving end of the Congress's 'justice'; she didn't trust the military only to use weapons for good. Besides, Wanda and Pietro had sounded Eastern European. Daisy knew that the C.I.A, and S.H.I.E.L.D for that matter, had been in the region in masses since the end of World War II. Wherever there were rebellions against Communist governments, there were rebels given weapons by the U.S. It was a dark period in history and certainly not something to be proud of. Her father's role in it was certainly not that of savior. She could understand why Pietro had freaked out at her name. It didn't justify attacking her of course, and Daisy really hoped she'd thrown him against the wall hard enough for it to hurt, but it made it easier to understand. It made her sympathetic enough to Wanda and Pietro that she kept tabs on where they were in the building. Wanda was hard to find, her vibrations were no different from everyone else's, but Pietro was moving at such speed that he was like a beacon of light in a dim room. With a little effort Daisy could always find him, and it was reassuring to know that whatever experiments he was undergoing, they hadn't killed him at least. It gave Daisy a little hope too. She knew that sooner or later Whitehall would realize that she was okay. Once he did she'd be undergoing the same experiments Wanda and Pietro were now.

It was sooner rather than later.

Dr. Whitehall came into Daisy's cell with another man, and Daisy didn't care to know who it was. She remained still, pretending to be asleep, until the new man came over and slapped her hard across the face. "Get up," he told her. "I lent Dr. Whitehall my tests subjects in return for access to you. You are well enough."

Daisy's wrists ached as she pushed herself up, but she knew the jig was up. She wasn't getting out of things now. Now she just had to survive, survive and escape. Hopefully it had been long enough that Coulson was suspicious of Ward's check-ins. Hopefully it had been long enough that someone was smart enough to call her dad. Daisy didn't care about how furious he'd be with her; she just wanted her dad. She just wanted her dad so badly.

"You would be wise to listen to Herr Strucker's orders," Dr. Whitehall told Daisy, his voice crisp and clear. He was completely unfazed by the inhumanity of the situation. He was unfazed and yet he'd dared to call Daisy a monster. "He is far less patient than myself."

Daisy wasn't one to hate, but she hated Nazis. She hated every member of Hydra. She hated them furiously. She hated that they'd taken her, not once, but twice. She hated that they'd brainwashed her to kill her family. She hated that they'd experimented on her, that they'd changed her, that they looked at her as a scientific anomaly instead of a person. She hated that they didn't care who they hurt, or how they did it, or what happened. She hated them. She hated Pierce. She hated Dr. Whitehall. She hated the Winter Soldier. She hated this Strucker. She hated Ward the most, because she loved him as well, and the two emotions were far too close for comfort. Daisy hated Nazis.

But she followed them out of the room. She went along with them. She hated them, and she would see them stopped, but she did not have the strength or the power to stop them. Her wrists were still broken. Her bruises were not completely faded. She had powers now, powers that she scarcely understood, never mind hope to control.

Daisy had vowed at age fifteen to never be powerless again, but she'd failed at that. All of her training, all of her powers, all of her skills and her knowledge and her hard work- they were useless. She was no better equipped to break out of a facility with a hundred Nazis now than she had been to break out of a suit at fifteen. She was helpless once more. In fact she was even more helpless than before, because before she'd had people. Coulson had freed her from that suit. Pepper had brought her to safety. Her father had stopped Obadiah. Daisy used to have help, but now she had no one and nothing. She'd run from her father. She'd taken a leave from S.H.I.E.L.D to get her own answers. No one was coming to save her. She had so many people who cared about her, who would help her, and none of them were coming. Daisy had convinced them that she could take care of herself and they were leaving her to do so. If she died, that hubris would be the reason for it.

She was led into a lab, and noticed that she was not alone in it. Wanda and Pietro, looking no better off than herself, were already strapped down to a bed. Daisy's instincts flared up, and she flailed against the two large men who grabbed her from behind. She kicked and punched, but they didn't seem to feel it. It was only when she felt the vibrations urging her on, and let them go, that the men flew back. That didn't seem to stop anyone though. Daisy was too exhausted from the force that had come from her to stop the next barrage of Hydra soldiers from pinning her down and dragging her to a bed. She screamed, in fact she'd been screaming for a while. She hadn't even realized she was screaming. Why weren't Wanda and Pietro screaming?

They weren't screaming for the same reason Daisy eventually stopped screaming; they had no voice left to scream with.

The experiments were mostly a blur. During them Daisy was only aware of three things. The first one was something good- she was still alive. The second one was worse- she was in more pain than she thought possible. The third one, however, was almost enough to break her- Grant was just sitting there, watching, not even making an attempt to save her. Freaking Nazis.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Daisy didn't even open her eyes when she heard (and felt) the door to her cell open. She was in excruciating pain, and the idea that they might be here to do even more tests… No. They'd just thrown her back in her cell after the first round. Even they had to know that doing something else right away would kill Daisy. Her organs were already on overdrive, pumping out the chemicals she'd been injected with, healing the wounds of where she'd been poked and prodded, replacing the gallons of blood they'd taken. Anything else and she'd just fall apart. She would simply just fall apart.

(She wasn't entirely sure that she hadn't already fallen apart. It felt as if she was just a pile of organs with a little bit of skin thrown on top. She certainly didn't feel whole.)

"Daisy, you need to get up."

Daisy was shocked from her stupor; that was Ward's voice. When she opened her eyes, she was even more shocked; that was Ward's face. He was standing there, next to her bed, one hand reaching out to her face, and his eyes pleading. "Daisy, you need to get up. I'm getting you out of here."

She didn't know whether or not to believe him. One part of Daisy felt like telling him to screw off. After all, he was the reason she was here in the first place. He was responsible for all the pain she'd suffered, physically and emotionally. Daisy didn't feel like going anywhere with him.

Of course the more logical self-preservation side of her said that now was not the time to be petty. There was a chance, of course, that this was just a test to see where her loyalties lie, but that would be a pretty stupid thing to test. She'd made it very clear that she hated Nazis. (As any reasonable person should). She'd made it very clear that even though she remembered the Hydra brainwashing, it was no longer in control of her. (She'd wondered, actually, why they hadn't tried to re-brainwash her. Perhaps they simply couldn't.)

No, Daisy doubted this was a test. Grant was actually trying to save her. Despite everything he actually did care. Daisy didn't exactly find that comforting of course. In fact it meant that she now had a whole new mess of problems to deal with. Still, it meant that, for the moment at least, she had to trust him enough to get out of this mess.

"Come on Daisy, we have to go. I called Coulson. S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers are on their way, but we need to get out before they arrive," Grant pleaded with Daisy, placing a hand on either shoulder.

Daisy was still in too much pain to want to move, even if it meant it would save her life. Then it clicked in her heard what he'd said. The Avengers were coming. Her father was coming. He didn't care that she'd royally screwed up… well everything. He didn't care one bit. He was coming. He was still coming to save her.

"I can't walk," Daisy told Grant, struggling just to sit up. Her wrists were hurting more than ever, and just the slight pressure on them it took to push herself up sent sparks of pain throughout her body. "I can't run."

Grant sighed, but then he made a decision. Without giving her a hint of warning he reached around her and picked her up bridal style. Instinctively Daisy wrapped her arms around his neck, and Ward huffed, "It's a good thing you haven't been eating."

Despite herself Daisy laughed, and she held on tighter. She knew she shouldn't be so comfortable held by an enemy, but, for now at least, he was the best hope she had. He was going to get her out of there. He was going to get her to her father.

They didn't meet any security leaving Daisy's cell, which was more than a little concerning. It took Daisy a minute to realize why everything seemed abandoned; there were alarms blaring. In her stupor she didn't quite know when they'd come on, but once she realized they were there, their noise was deafening. Clearly someone had realized that they were under attack and everyone was too busy running, or fighting, for their lives.

"The plan is to blow up the base as soon as we get out," Ward told her, having to yell over the noise despite Daisy being right in his arms. "So we need to go. If anyone comes… well see if you can throw them like you did that silver kid."

Silver kid? It took Daisy a moment to realize that he was talking about Pietro, but when she did panic flared within her. "We need to get Wanda and Pietro out! They'll die!"

"Not my problem," Ward replied callously. "That kid beat the crap out of you. I'll be glad to see him dead."

"It's not his fault," Daisy grumbled, kicking and flailing in Ward's arms. It hurt to do so, but it hurt him more to hold her like that. "Let me go. I'll crawl to them if I have to but I'm not leaving here without them!"

Ward was stuck. He couldn't run with Daisy flailing like she was, but he had no desire to save the other two members of the experiments. They were not his problem. He cared about Daisy and Daisy alone. Everything else was just… it was just fodder. All that mattered was that he got Daisy out before any more harm came to her.

But she was harming herself with her kicking, and they weren't getting out of there if she was fighting him. He supposed he could knock her unconscious, but he was concerned that doing so after all the other trauma she'd endured would cause her permanent injury. No, she had to cooperate, and if that meant freeing those stupid kids…

"Fine," Ward told her, turning directions. He was lucky enough to have been given free reign of the complex, so at least he knew where he was going. The twins were being held a little ways from Daisy, in cells that not even the speedster could crash out of. Ward knew where they were though, and he even knew where the control panel for their cells were.

He got there quickly, and gently placed Daisy on the ground. The twins were silent, though they'd been screaming for days so that wasn't much of a surprise. Ward hoped their vocal chords were permanently ruined; it would be a service to the galaxy if they had to remain silent. They were staring at him, and Daisy, attentively though, so Ward suspected they knew what he was trying to do.

Trying being the key word. "Shit," he mumbled. "Daisy… Daisy I don't know how this works but there's a failsafe I don't want to mess with. Can you?"

She nodded, reaching out her arms for him to help her up. He did so, holding her to keep her steady, as her fingers flurried across the keypad, opening the cells with a click. Immediately Pietro rushed out towards his sister, who he grabbed while glaring at Daisy and Ward.

"You come near us and I will kill you," Ward told the boy, his voice low. "Get out of here. There's help coming, but if you're too slow I won't feel bad when you got blown up."

The dig at his speed was enough to get Pietro to fireman lift his sister and bolt from the building. Ward found himself wishing he had the same speed as he picked up Daisy again and began running. He knew of course that Tony Stark was not going to let anyone blow anything up until he knew Daisy was safe, but the longer they were in there the more likely it was that they'd run into…

A dozen Hydra soldiers came around the corner, guns loaded. Ward ducked behind a wall as a barrage of bullets flew to them, and he placed Daisy down. His single handgun, however, was not enough against these people. They were trained to be as deadly as Ward was. He couldn't get past them, and they were getting closer to him.

"Damn it. Daisy I need you to do something." The girl was hardly awake; he wasn't even sure she could hear him. She must have though because as he turned back to shoot he felt the world start quaking around him. Daisy was holding one hand to the ground, blood dripping from her nose as she concentrated. The whole world seemed to shake, and it threw the Hydra agents off enough for Ward to take them out. Once all his bullets had found their target he picked Daisy back up. She'd completely passed out, and all he could hope was that they wouldn't meet any more attackers before they got outside.

Ward didn't know whether to be impressed by, or terrified of, Daisy's new abilities. He hadn't had a clue that she'd be subjected to such experimentation. If he'd known… well he liked to think he never would have brought her to Garret. It wasn't the truth though. Garret had been his everything. Everything he had. Everything he was he owed to Garret. Knowing the man was gone hurt more than anything had hurt Ward in years. Knowing he'd been killed by Hydra just made Ward hate the organization he'd been working for. The only thing that made him hate them more was how weak Daisy's heartbeat was growing. If he lost her too…

He clenched his teeth and rounded the final corner. Just as he did a team of S.H.I.E.L.D agents burst in. "Don't shoot," Ward called out. He couldn't quite hold his hands up without dropping Daisy, but he made himself look as harmless as possible. "I'm Agent Ward. I need to get Agent Johnson out."

The other agents nodded and headed past, but one stayed behind and commed in, "We got them, East-West entrance. I repeat I have eyes on Agents Ward and Stark."

It took less than a second for the door they were standing at to burst open. Ward had never seen Iron Man out of pictures, and couldn't help but be impressed by the powerful figure before him. When he lowered his mask, however, Tony Stark didn't look powerful. He looked weak and terrified. He moved over to where Ward was, reaching out to take Daisy from him. Ward let him, and she stirred slightly when placed in her father's metal arms.

"Oh Daisy," Ward heard him whisper. "What did they do to you? How did I fail you so terribly, again?"


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now we're getting in the point I mentioned before. I haven't written the last chapter yet because I want you guys to decide. You don't have to give your opinion quite yet, there are still 5 chapters I have written, but I want everyone to start thinking about it. What do you think Daisy should do now? Should she become an Avenger? Should she try to get rid of her powers? Should she go back to S.H.I.E.L.D? Should Hydra come back and murder her? It's up to you guys because honestly IDK what I want to happen. So start thinking about it and, if you have an opinion, let me know.

Chapter 27

Daisy had gotten in the habit over the past few days of feeling her surroundings before opening her eyes. Within an instant of doing so, however, she felt something cool dripping from her nose. She rubbed it with her hand, and opened her eyes to see that she'd just wiped away blood.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," her father's voice got Daisy to turn her head, and she saw him sitting by her side, one of her hands held tightly in his. "The doctors say you shouldn't try… well you shouldn't do anything for a few days. Your body is pretty shot."

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice hoarse and croaky. It didn't hurt from all the screaming she'd done, which made her heart clench as she asked, "How long…"

"They put you in a medically induced coma," her father answered softly, before laughing humorlessly, "A real one. You were… reacting to some of the treatment and your friend, Simmons, said that it was the best way to keep your… abilities from harming you further."

Daisy wanted to sink in her bed. She didn't quite know why, but she felt ashamed that her father knew of her abilities. She'd wanted abilities for so long. She'd talked about it forever. Now that she had them… all Daisy wanted to know was how she could possibly get rid of them. Hydra had given them to her. They had to be… they had to be inherently wrong.

"Hey," her dad told, her, moving a hand to the side of her face. "Hey, it's okay. We'll figure it out. This could… this could be a good thing. You could be an Avenger and…"

"I don't want to be an Avenger," the words came out so quickly that Daisy hardly realized she'd spoken. Her dad's face fell. Of course he'd want her to join him. He'd always wanted her to be around more. "I mean…"

He shook his head, stroking her cheek. "No, you're right. We'll figure this out later. Right now you still need to rest."

Daisy was tired, and everything hurt. Still she reached out to grab her dad's hand. "You'll stay with me, right?"

Tony's face softened and he squeezed her hand tight. "Of course. I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I'm not letting you out of my sight ever again." Daisy laughed, though it hurt, and the pain urged her back to sleep.

When she woke up again she felt a million times better. Her head was clear. Her wrists had wraps on them, but they didn't hurt as bad. Even her bruises all seemed to have faded. She felt almost back to normal. Though, Daisy supposed, she was never going to be normal again. (And she'd never really been normal in the first place.)

Her dad was still in the room, though he was talking quietly with someone else. Daisy could barely hear them so she had to turn her head to realize who it was. When she did her heart stopped. "Dad stop!"

Her dad turned to her surprised, and Daisy panicked for a second, trying to sit up. Her dad came running over and grabbed her shoulders, and the other man in the room followed, his face soft and eyes pleading. Ward. Ward was standing there, talking to her dad, watching her while she slept. Daisy was surprised he hadn't stabbed anyone in the back. Sure he'd saved her but once a Nazi always a Nazi… right?

"He's, he's," Daisy struggled to get the words out. It felt so wrong, to give up his secret. He'd helped her. He'd saved her. Besides he'd probably respond violently, maybe attack her dad. Daisy was feeling better but she wouldn't be quick enough to protect him and he didn't have his suit so…

"Daisy," Ward's voice was soft and low, and he came to crouch next to her bed. She flinched, something her father didn't miss, and he stepped between Daisy and Ward. "Daisy, please, just give me a chance."

"What is going on?" her father asked, clenching his fists and looking ready to attack Ward, suit or no suit. "Daisy, please, talk to me. Nothing bad is going to happen. Not anymore."

Daisy knew that wasn't even close to true. Bad things would always be happening. Bad things just happened, especially to good people. But Daisy of course wasn't a good person. She'd fallen in love with someone as terrible as Ward. She'd allowed herself to be deceived and used again and again. No more. Daisy couldn't do it anymore. Yes, she loved Grant, but she didn't trust him, and she certainly couldn't just keep the truth about him secret.

"I'm sorry, Grant," she whispered, probably too quietly for him to hear. "He's Hydra. Dad he's Hydra. He saved me from them but… but he also brought me to them."

Daisy had never seen her dad snap. She hadn't been there when they took down Pierce, though she'd heard stories. She'd heard how he'd just attacked the man, beating him bloody before he had a chance to explain. That was exactly what happened with Ward. The crazy thing was Ward didn't fight back. He let himself be attacked. He let Tony wail on him until Coulson, Natasha, and a few others ran in to separate them. Even as Daisy screamed at her dad to stop, Ward just let himself be a punching bag.

"Tony stop!" Daisy hadn't even realized that Steve was there, though of course it made sense that he would be. He grabbed on to Tony, holding him back while Coulson grabbed Ward and checked him over.

"He's Hydra!" Tony yelled, trying to break free of Steve's super strength. "The bastard. He brought her to them. HE DID THIS TO HER!"

Steve looked ready to let Tony go back to wailing on the man, but in the end he didn't let go. Everyone fell silent as Coulson just held Ward there. Ward had lowered his head, looking ashamed, but there was a glint in his eye that Daisy still feared. He seemed too sincere. Daisy didn't think she could believe it, or him, ever again.

"I am sorry Daisy," Ward whispered, putting his hands on his head and getting on his knees. "You too Coulson. You… you both deserved better."

Coulson was too shocked by the revelation to do much, but Natasha always had her wits about her. She found some cuffs to restrain him with and then marched him out of the room. Despite herself Daisy was sad to see him go. She had loved him. She still did love him, in a way. His actions though were inexcusable. You don't get to just be forgiven for one good dead after a lifetime of horror. Daisy would find him again and give him a chance to explain, but not yet. She still had too many other things to worry about to worry about Grant Ward, whoever he really was.

"I'm sorry," her father said, coming to sit back down besides her. "I thought he'd saved you I thought… I've been fooled again."

Daisy shook her head, sitting up in her bed. She was glad to know it didn't hurt, though it would probably be a bit much to try and stand up just yet. "None of us knew," she looked over at Coulson, who was standing shocked by the window. "None of us could know. Hydra is way smarter and way bigger than we imagined."

"We're going to get them all this time," Steve promised Daisy. He looked different from when she'd last seen him, though, perhaps, that was simply because she was so different. "If I have to interview every single S.H.I.E.L.D agent myself to find those traitors I will. No one is going to escape this time. No one. I promise you Daisy. Hydra was my responsibility. I failed to notice them. It's all my fault. I'm sorry."

"Shut up," Daisy told him, shocking even herself. Everyone went still and stared at her, but she was in no rush to continue. She waited until she looked them all in the eye-her dad, Steve, Coulson- before she explained. They needed to know. They needed to take her words to heart. "It is not your fault. It is not any of your fault. It's not even my fault. The only people responsible for what happened are Ward and every other Hydra agent out there. They hurt me and a lot of other people, and they will be punished for that, but it's not your fault."

They didn't believe her of course, she could see it in their eyes. Each one of them had their own reasons for believing Hydra was their fault. Coulson felt like he should have known that one of his own team members were compromised. Steve felt like Hydra was his mission, his responsibility. Her dad was just completely irrational when it came to Daisy. If she so much as got a paper cut he'd blame himself for letting Daisy use a piece of paper. Any harm that came to his daughter was his fault. He was supposed to protect her.

And of course Daisy blamed herself as well. She'd allowed herself to be taken in by Ward, by Raina. She'd wanted to know why she was an 0-8-4. Well she knew now. She knew now and nothing was going to change that. Everything she'd endured over the past few weeks was her own fault. Daisy could live with that. Honestly she was happy to live with that. When push came to shove, she was just glad she got to live.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The rest of the day was rough for Daisy, because she had to explain what had happened to a number of different people, and omit some details in every recollection of the story. When she told the Avengers the story, she found she couldn't be quite honest about her feelings for Ward. Steve was there, watching Daisy attentively, and she just, she just couldn't tell him how fast she'd gotten over him. She was embarrassed. She'd broken up with him and fallen in love with a Nazi in only a couple of months. It felt… it felt wrong. Daisy couldn't do it. She knew it was selfish, but he couldn't explain the depth of her feelings for Ward with Steve in the room.

But later, when it was Nick Fury in the room, and he wanted to throw Ward in the Fridge and throw away the key, she found she was playing up her feelings for him, and his feelings for her. She didn't really know why she was doing it, why she was protecting him, but she just couldn't bear the thought of Ward alone in a cell for the rest of his life. Whatever he'd done he deserved better than that.

To the others from the Bus, Daisy found herself unable to admit that she'd been under Hydra mind control during the period she'd forgotten. It was a silly thing to hide, but Daisy couldn't bring herself to share. They were already upset that Daisy hadn't told them the full story before leaving with Raina. Jemma kept insisting that if she'd known she could have helped Daisy get the memories back. She seemed upset with herself that Daisy hadn't felt like she could talk about things. It made Daisy wonder if she should tell them about the mind control, but it was too late by that point. Daisy just kept quiet and let them talk themselves out. The only really helpful part of that meeting was that Fitzsimmons handed her two cuffs, that, supposedly, would eliminate the nasty side effect of her writs fracturing each time she used her powers.

They seemed unfazed by Daisy's abilities, which came as a surprise more than anything. Especially because it seemed like May was the one to question it the least. Of all the members of Team Bus Agent May was the one who Daisy knew the least. She'd been the one Daisy would have expected to see her as a threat, but she just nodded. She didn't seem worried at all. In fact, she was downright nice to Daisy. "You'll need a new C.O. when you come back to work," she told Daisy with a nod. "We'll start by working on your aversion to guns."

"When I come back?" Daisy repeated, thrown by the words. She didn't know quite why, but she'd been assuming she wasn't going back to the Bus. S.H.I.E.L.D had enhanced assets, yes, but they didn't get to be normal agents. Daisy's best chance of continuing with S.H.I.E.L.D was as an Avenger. Besides, Daisy hadn't exactly been the best team member considering all the lies. Why would they want her back?

But they seemed to. Fitz, Simmons, May, even Coulson, they were all looking at Daisy with a fierce expectation that she would be back on the Bus, and soon. Daisy was secretly glad that her dad had stepped out for a little bit. He would probably be freaking out at the idea of Daisy continuing work. She smiled slightly at the thought. While she didn't really think it would be possible for her to return to the Bus it was nice to know that they at least wanted her to.

"When you come back," Coulson repeated with a nod. "We're heading back out as soon as we undergo our screening. Every S.H.I.E.L.D agent is being put through this lie detector that apparently even Romanoff can't beat. Once we're cleared we'll be heading out to do cleanup. We're trying to keep things under wraps until we know just how deep Hydra goes. We don't want there to be mass panic. It will come out eventually though, and we need it to be as smooth as possible."

Daisy doubted that there was any way to tell people that Nazis were everywhere and not have them panic. Of course people also didn't realize that neo-Nazis were a highly prevalent thing as well, so really Daisy wasn't too concerned about the masses. They'd panic. They'd get over it. S.H.I.E.L.D would keep going to ensure the world did as well. Even if they managed to get all of Hydra this time it wouldn't really matter. There would always be new threats. Luckily, there would always be S.H.I.E.L.D as well. As hard as it was for Daisy to believe that she'd be back on the Bus any time soon she was glad to know at least the others would be out there. The world needed them.

The world needed them so badly that they didn't stay long, which Daisy greatly appreciated because her father had sat in on enough of her recollections to know that all the pieces weren't matching up. He seemed especially frustrated when Daisy recalled events to Pepper. Of course that retelling was the least truthful, mostly as it played down how injured Daisy had been. Tony got that Daisy was trying to keep Pepper safe and calm. Pepper had been freaking out consistently since Daisy ran off months before; she didn't need more reasons to worry. So Tony didn't press Daisy as she altered details when explaining to Pepper, but the moment Pepper left to go check on Maria, and he was finally left alone with his daughter...

He was surprised not to have to push her. As soon as they were alone he simply grabbed her hand and she started spilling out everything. Despite his brash nature, Tony found himself listening patiently to Daisy's tale. She started with the moment she'd been captured by the Winter Soldier, giving him the whole account of her brainwashing. It hurt Tony to hear. After they'd made her forget it was easy for him to forget that he hadn't ever asked for the details. Finally he was learning them, and they made him sick. He was so distressed by Daisy's tale that he wasn't even angry; he just wanted to cry.

He didn't cry though. Tony knew that if he cried Daisy would start lying to him as well, to save him the pain. As much as it killed him (and it killed him) to see the way her lips curled in pain whenever she remembered something new, he needed to know. He'd spent years pretending that Daisy's past didn't matter, that she told him everything that was important. It was much easier for him to think that way, but it was also the reason thing had exploded so terribly. Daisy was telling him that she'd known for years, years, that her mother had been killed and that she was something different. If Tony had known what had happened to Jaiying... He would have been able to help Daisy. He would have been. Instead she'd suffered, all because of the things she hadn't told him.

She was finally telling him though. She told him everything, every little secret she'd hidden over the years. She spoke for well over an hour before finally coming to a close, her recovering vocal chords fading from the effort. "The last thing I remember before waking up here is the feeling that the whole compound was moving, moving because of me. Then I woke up here."

Tony didn't know what to say. A part of him wanted to yell at Daisy for being so stupid. In many ways what happened was her fault. If she hadn't been so damn independent and stubborn… no. He cast those thoughts away. It wasn't Daisy's fault. It was his. Anything bad that happened to her was always his fault. He couldn't tell Daisy this though. She would just get mad even though he knew it was true. No. No Tony didn't know what to do. His big, brilliant brain offered no answers to the mess they were in. So, instead, he followed his heart, hugging Daisy and crying until neither of them could cry anymore.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Perhaps the universe deigned that Daisy deserved a break, because everything got better from that moment on. After Daisy and her dad cried themselves hoarse things had looked easier. Yes, she'd never be over what had happened. Yes, she was changed in more ways than one, but there was a new light. Telling her dad the whole story had allowed Daisy to piece it together herself. She'd thought that her whole mess had started when she met Raina, or maybe when she discovered the truth about Pierce, but it went much further back. It went back to the first day she'd decided reading S.H.I.E.L.D files was a good idea. From that moment on her life had just been a series of dominos. Now all the dominos had fallen. The game was now over.

Daisy could finally start anew. She could feel it in her (healing) bones.

The first break Daisy got came in the form of a phone call. Daisy wasn't stupid. With everything that had happened it would have been impossible for the world to still believe she was dead. In all actuality, Daisy was surprised that she hadn't woken up in handcuffs in a prison hospital. The number of laws she'd broken were staggering and considering taking down Nazis in the process hadn't helped her the first time, she didn't imagine it would help her the second.

Apparently Daisy's imagination needed work. She imagined many people on the other end of the line, but never the one she got. "Hello, Miss Stark, this is Matthew Ellis, the President of the United States."

Daisy opened her mouth, and then closed it again. Her dad was standing by the side of her bed grinning, but Daisy was at a loss. Sure she'd technically met the president, and many people far more important, but it was always a surprised to be called by the supposed leader of the free world.

"Hello, Miss Stark, are you there?"

"Yes," Daisy croaked. Her voice was the one thing that seemed to be healing the least, probably because it wasn't getting the bed rest the rest of her was. "Sorry, sir, um, I wasn't expecting you to call."

"That's alright, I won't hold you up, but I wanted to call and be the first to tell you the news," he replied, sounding both openly friendly, and reservedly diplomatic. Typical politician then. "I'm not sure if you're aware, but I pardoned you posthumously. Well my justice department has informed me that that pardon, from how it was worded, can hold, and I have already signed a pardon clearing you of any legal action for breaking your house arrest."

Pardon? Daisy actually hadn't realized she'd been pardoned. That was very uncharacteristic of President Ellis. He was normally the law and order type, so the polls had to have seriously swung Daisy's way for him to make such a move.

"Thank… thank you sir," Daisy answered because really, what else could she say? She was free from any legal trouble which meant she was free to worry about, well, everything else. Really there wasn't much to say.

"Well I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter," Ellis agreed with a laugh. "Intentional or not you've revealed twice now that I've placed the protection of this country in the hands of our enemies. I owe you my thanks and this is the least I can do. Though I must ask one more thing of you."

Daisy's heart dropped. She didn't know what he was going to say, but she didn't want to know what it was the president thought she could do for him.

"I've been informed that Grant Ward was the man who brought you to Hydra and saved you from them. Now his brother is a Senator, so the political ramifications of pardoning or not pardoning him will be substantial. Before I even go and talk to Christian, I want to know if you would object to me pardoning him."

Daisy's blood ran cold at the thought of Ward's older brother. Of course now she had to wonder if anything Grant had told her was true. Maybe Christian Ward was the saint the country thought him to be. Or maybe, despite all the other lies, Grant's life really had begun the way he said it would. Whatever the case the idea of Ward just being pardoned freaked Daisy out… as did the thought of him going to trial and being sentenced to death for treason and murder.

"I think Senator Ward would agree with me that it wouldn't be wise to pardon Grant," Daisy spoke slowly biting her tongue. She could see her father scowling out of the corner of her eye, but she kept herself calm. "But I would ask that, if he's given the death penalty, you would consider commuting his sentence to life in a S.H.I.E.L.D prison. And, President Ellis, I'm grateful that you've pardoned me, and so I'll give you this advice. Distance yourself as far as possible from Senator Ward. Any trial will undoubtedly discover the skeletons in that family's closet, and they're not pretty."

"I see," President Ellis answered. "Thank you Miss Stark for the advice. I'll let you go. Recover well. I'm sure I'll see you again. My reports say that you'll undoubtedly be the newest recruit for the Avengers. It would be good to see your unfortunate new abilities put to a good use."

"Thank you Mr. President," Daisy replied, glad it was over the phone. She didn't know if she could have hid her scowl had she been forced to. The way he'd spoken about her new abilities made Daisy cringe. She was more than a little terrified of the upcoming days. The fact that he just wanted to see her as another weapon… well she'd been doing plenty of good as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent even if no one would ever put her on a magazine cover for it. People just didn't seem to get that.

"You know being pardoned is a good thing," Tony teased noticing her sour mood. Daisy tried to crack a smile, but it wasn't nearly good enough to fool her dad. "What's up?"

Daisy didn't quite know how to explain it, but she figured it was best for her to try. "It's just the President talking about my powers so casually is… it's odd that's all. I told Dr. Garner once that my whole life there had been a hole that nothing seemed to fix and ever since I woke up that hole has been gone. And I feel like whatever they did to me was always meant to happen. Whatever made me what I am… whatever's wrong with me… these new abilities filled that hole. But even though that hole, that need, is finally gone, I'm still… I'm terrified. Nobody else seems panicked but I… I am. I'm not human dad! I'm half human half… whatever my mom was. I don't… I don't know how to feel about that."

Her dad sighed, and moved next to her. He was quiet for a while, making Daisy panic just a little bit. What if he agreed with her? What if her reminder that she wasn't human made him hate her, even just a little? She knew it was absurd. This was her father and if he could love her through everything else he could love her through this but the panic still remained. Even as he squeezed her hand and began speaking, the panic remained. "Daisy. Whatever Hydra told you, you are still human. You're more human than they are, that's for sure. Humanity isn't about genes or meeting checkpoints on a DNA analysis. Humanity is a state of being, a state of caring, of goodness, of openness to the world. Hydra shut themselves off from humanity with their hatred, but they did not shut off your humanity by altering your DNA. Nobody else is panicking because we know you, and we know it's still my impulsive, do-good, heroic daughter sitting there, and that whatever happens your powers will work for good. As for your abilities, I'm glad they've given you a sense of fulfillment, but that doesn't mean you're going to be okay with what happened every moment of every day. You're on a downhill climb now, even if you can't see it, you are. Every day things will get easier, but you started at the very top. You waited a long time before trying to come back down, and so sometimes it's going to be hard to find your footing. You'll miss a step and slide a little bit, but the good news is I can fly. I can fly and you have more people who care about you who will catch you than most people get in a lifetime. If you trust us every once in a while we'll get you down, and you'll see what a good thing this will be. I promise."


	30. Chapter 30

Don't forget to vote on how this all should end. I'm still not decided. Enjoy!

Chapter 30

When Daisy was finally cleared to get out of bed, the first place she went was the training facility in the Avengers tower. Bruce was MIA as always and Thor was back on Asgard, but the rest of the crew- Steve, Clint, Natasha, and her dad- were all there. As were two other people who, if she was being honest, Daisy had neither expected, nor wanted, to see again.

Wanda and Pietro stood off to the side of the room whispering in hushed voices. The Avengers weren't paying them much mind, except for sideways glances, though Daisy noticed her dad looked ready to clock Pietro. Daisy was grateful he didn't though. Yes Pietro had attacked her, but, in his mind, the Stark family had attacked him first. They were even, or, at least, they needed to leave the past in the past.

"We caught them fleeing the Hydra base," Steve told Daisy when he noticed her looking. "I hope you don't mind that I asked them to join us. They're not official members of course but they need help directing their powers, and we're the best equipped to help."

Daisy shook her head and went over to them. They went silent upon seeing them, their muscles tensed. Pietro looked ready to run, though, of course, that was his natural state even before the experiment. Then Daisy extended her hand, "I think it's time we start over. Hi, I'm Daisy Stark."

Wanda seemed generally to follow her brother's lead, but she was actually the one to take Daisy's hand first. "Wanda Maximoff and my brother Pietro. Thank you for coming back for us. Ve would have died there othervise."

When Wanda let go Daisy kept her hand out. It took a long time for Pietro to raise his eyes to hers, but when he did he grabbed Daisy's hand and shook it firmly. It was his nod, however, that told Daisy they would be okay. Perhaps the Maximoffs would still remain cold to Daisy's father, but she'd saved their lives, and she'd forgiven Pietro for attacking her, so they were even.

"Alright, everyone listen up," Steve began speaking, his voice commanding. Daisy had heard him use that voice at the few other Avengers training sessions she'd sat in on, but it was still amusing to hear. He was in full on 'Captain' mode, and mentally back in a World War II boot camp. "I know we all have a debt to settle with Hydra, but S.H.I.E.L.D is working on that, and until we're called in, our focus is helping Daisy and the Maximoffs control their powers. Once the three of you complete training you'll be welcome as full members of the Avengers, or you'll be free to go. Until you've proven that you're not a danger to yourself or others, however, you're all mine. Pietro, your powers are the simplest, so let's start with you."

They continued on like that all day, and for the next two weeks. Pietro's powers were the simplest; he was really fast. Even after weeks of training it just seemed like he got faster and stronger every day. He'd run up and down all the stairs in the tower in a few seconds, and, as his speed increased, he began describing the slowing of time around him. It was both amazing and terrifying to watch, though Daisy of course knew her own powers were more destructive.

They weren't nearly as destructive as Wanda's though. There wasn't really a word to describe it, hence Pietro's joking that she was simply 'a witch'. Whatever she was really doing, though, it was terrifying. It seemed to Daisy like the girl was manipulating reality around her. She seemed able to do most anything, and they'd already had to ban her from practicing her mental manipulation because it was just too disturbing for them. Daisy had seen horrible things when Wanda tried it on her, and from the way no one else would quite look her in the eye, the others had as well.

Daisy actually felt a little bad for Wanda. Her brother's abilities were cool and easy to control. She was something weird, new, and unnatural. As selfish as it was, Wanda made Daisy feel better about her own powers. Sure Daisy could manipulate vibrations which resulted in a lot of destruction, but at least she wasn't manipulating reality.

And the more Daisy trained the less destruction she caused. After a few days she found herself growing stronger. Fitz's dampeners kept her wrists from fracturing, and the training allowed Daisy to barely need them. The Avengers knew what they were doing. Even her dad who wasn't enhanced had a good enough understanding of abilities to be really, really, really helpful. She'd gone from shaking buildings to playing melodies on water glasses in just a couple weeks. The terror she'd originally felt about what her powers might mean faded. Yes, she could be destructive with her powers, but when Daisy thought about it she'd always been a destructive person. She'd certainly caused a lot of chaos and kicked a lot of ass without abilities. Her abilities just let her do even more capable.

It felt good. Daisy had started her life wanting abilities, and despite the period in the middle filled with terror, Daisy was glad to have her wish come true. The hole in her didn't return because it had truly been filled. Daisy was meant to be whatever she was. She still wanted to know more about it and about her mother, but at the moment she was content with the knowledge that she was still herself, and that she was not alone.

Two weeks into their training they finally got some real field work. They were right in the middle of a session when J.A.R.V.I.S informed them that a few uprooted Hydra agents had stolen some tech, and were currently wielding it in Times Square. Tony didn't even have time to argue that Daisy shouldn't come; they all suited up and went out.

The Hydra agents had gun-like things that blew a hole in the sidewalk a foot deep, and they were keeping hundreds of tourists hostage. It could have been bad, real bad, except the Avengers were in New York, and they had three new additions with no qualms about beating Hydra ass into the pavement.

Everything happened so fast only Pietro probably caught it all. It started with Pietro running in and stealing the tech, tossing it on the ground back where he started. Daisy then took her turn, focusing on the exact spot where the Hydra agents were, and creating a localized earthquake to knock them off their feet. Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow then came in with their punches, and Clint and Wanda found themselves with absolutely nothing to do.

It was for sure the most fun Daisy had had since her 18th birthday when she got to be Iron Girl for a day. Using her abilities felt right. Saving people felt right. Using her abilities to save people… it was all Daisy had ever wanted. She practically flew back to the Avengers tower she was so happy. Never before had she been so sure of what she was meant to be doing with her life.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

They all went out to dinner after their big win, and when they got back to the tower Daisy crashed. The training was making her abilities easier, yes, but she still had a long way to go. She'd probably need to train for the rest of her life, but the prospect didn't concern her too much. Using her powers and controlling her powers were both equally important, and equally satisfying. She couldn't believe she'd been so afraid at first. It felt so natural now, as natural as breathing. She supposed that was because of the other Avengers. They knew what it was like to have powers, and they never seemed to think of themselves as freaks. If they weren't freaks neither was Daisy. Just being around them had reminded her of that, calming her greatly. Actually she was so calm that, for once, she could fall asleep easily and with a smile on her face.

Despite her exhaustion Daisy woke up early. She'd slept a lot since the whole disaster began, and she was sort of sick of it. It was a chilly winter morning in New York, but Daisy didn't mind. She'd lived for years in California, yes, but she was still New York raised. A good winter coat and hot cup of coffee and Daisy found herself sitting out on the balcony, looking over the waking city.

It was peaceful. This high up it was difficult for Daisy to feel the vibrations of what was happening on the ground, but she could feel the force of the wind and focus on the rising sun. The world seemed at peace. Daisy felt the same.

"I didn't expect anyone else to be up."

Daisy turned to see Steve standing in the doorway, dressed in casual running clothes. She blushed a little, but hoped he'd assume it was from the biting air. (It was actually because she was still in her pajamas, and had yet to put on a bra.)

Things between Daisy and Steve were weird. They'd been together every day for weeks, but they hadn't really spoken just the two of them. Daisy knew why of course, she'd broken up with him in a frenzy and then let him think she was dead. It was enough that he should have probably hated her but he didn't. That wasn't his style. It never had been.

"I've spent enough of my life unconscious lately," Daisy shrugged before remembering who she was talking to. "Right, now I get why you always woke up so early."

Steve nodded, coming to sit next to Daisy. They sat in silence for a few minutes, just watching the early morning, but when they spoke it was at the same time, and with the same words. "I'm sorry."

Daisy blushed brightly, "Oh, um, sorry. You can go first."

Steve chuckled, "A year later and we're still a mess… I was just saying that I'm sorry. I should have fought them about erasing your memory. I spent months worrying about you but not able to tell you why. It wasn't fair to you to expect you to keep up such a one sided relationship."

"It wasn't your fault. I was the one who was all messed up, and not because of Hydra or the memory loss. I'm so young Steve. I've been living in the world of grownups my whole life, but I'm so young. And I was even younger before everything happened. I thought because you were perfect and didn't seem to care that I wasn't that we would work. But life isn't like that. Sometimes someone is perfect for you, but you're not perfect from them. Our lives run parallel to each other. They're not meant to cross, not in the way we wanted them to. And you'll always be a part of my life. You're an Avenger and so is my dad, but I'm something else."

"You are an Avenger now," Steve insisted pointing out Times Square. It was far away, but close enough that Daisy could just make out the road work crews fixing up the area she'd quaked. "Have you checked the news? They're calling you Quake. Pietro's Quicksilver and Wanda is the Scarlet Witch. You're the newest Avengers, if you want to be."

Daisy Stark- Avenger. It sounded right to her, but also wrong. She'd wanted to be an Avenger when she was younger, but now the opportunity was upon her, and she found herself hesitating. She wasn't even quite sure of why, but she couldn't commit. "I think that would be really good for Wanda and Pietro. They need a family, something to work for."

"And you don't?"

Daisy bit her lip. She didn't know. She really didn't know.

Having superpowers didn't mean Daisy forgot her other abilities, and so it was easy for Daisy to track down the Bus. As underground as Coulson was trying to keep his operations, the pattern was easy to see for someone like Daisy. They were flying in, preventing Hydra from causing too much damage, and then moving on to the next city. Someone was informing them of exactly what they'd find in each place, and Daisy had a sneaking suspicion of who.

No one thought twice about Daisy taking a day off of training and driving to Montreal. Wanda and Pietro were also taking a day to consider the offer of joining the Avengers, even if they were just going to Central Park and not Canada. Everyone just figured Daisy wanted to drive to clear her head and, to quote her father, "Montreal is cool. What's wrong with Montreal?"

Really though the Avengers had just learned how to give Daisy her space, which she was eternally grateful for. As she drove up to Montreal to crash Coulson and the others she felt lively and free.

When she drove up to the Bus she felt as if she was going to puke.

She'd been gone for a while, between her time with Hydra, recovering, and then training, but the Bus looked the same. It had the same access codes, and Daisy lowered the ramp and walked right on, past Lola, past Fitzsimmons boxes, right onto the Bus.

She was all the way at the labs before someone attacked her. Daisy was thrown for a second because she didn't know the blonde-haired agent, but her training kicked in. They exchanged a few punches and kicks, the woman was one Hell of a fighter, before Daisy remembered that she had powers now. She focused on pushing the woman gently away, and ended up throwing her against the wall. She looked dazed but okay, so Daisy considered that acceptable restraint.

"You must be Daisy," the woman chuckled standing up and brushing herself off. "You could have opened with that and saved us both some bruises. I'm Bobbi Morse. Coulson didn't tell me you're coming back."

"I'm not," Daisy answered before remembering that she was confused and didn't know that for sure. "I mean I'm not yet at least… is Coulson here?"

"He, May, Mac, Tripp, and Fitzsimmons had to go check something out. They left me and Hunter to hold down the fort."

Tripp, Mac, Hunter, Morse- Daisy knew she'd been gone for a while, but it was weird to think that nearly half the team was now made up of people she didn't know. Of course Coulson would need someone to replace Ward, but it sounded like he'd done a lot more than that. It was logical, but it made Daisy cringe as well. It was weird to feel replaced, especially when she hadn't decided whether or not she was even gone for good.

"Is Ward here?"

Morse scowled pointing her finger to one of the interrogation rooms. "We transformed it into a full time cell, not that he's tried to escape. He said that you would come. I really hate you for making him right."

It seemed Ward had been his regular charming self. Daisy caught herself smiling at the thought and scolded herself. Whatever he was to her, he was still a monster. "Sorry," she said, but Morse just shrugged. They walked towards the room in silence and then Daisy went and let herself in. It had been outfitted with a biometric lock, but Coulson had been kind enough to put her new DNA in the system.

"Daisy," Ward practically jumped to his feet and hugged her. She stifled in response, and he let go. He didn't seem to mind her less-than-joyous response, however. He was smiling widely, and he… he looked good. He'd been imprisoned for weeks but they'd turned the interrogation room into a full-fledged cell, shower and all. Daisy was grateful. Ward was hard enough for her to be around without him smelling.

"I'm so glad you've finally come," he told her. "I told Coulson that you would. I knew you would. You were always so much better than me. I knew you could forgive me."

"I don't," Daisy told him quickly, jerking away. "I don't forgive you. I don't know if what you did is forgivable. I'm grateful that you saved me, truly I am, but I wouldn't have needed saving if you hadn't betrayed me in the first place. I don't care what you felt like you owed Garret. Everything they did to me they did because you brought me to them. Everything I've suffered is your fault. I can't forgive that. Not yet at least. I'll try, but I don't know if it's possible to forgive."

Ward looked like he'd been slapped, and Daisy held her breath. As much as her words were true, they were also a test. If he freaked out then Daisy would know that he really was horrible and just trying to get into her head again. He didn't freak though. He stepped back, blinking and looking sullen, but he nodded his head calmly. (Daisy wished he would have freaked. It would have made everything easier.)

"You're right. What I did to you was unforgivable. I'm just glad that you're okay. Coulson wouldn't tell me much. You are okay? You look a lot better."

Daisy sighed. She didn't know what to do with Ward. She simply didn't know. At least he was staying on the other side of the cell and giving her space. She wasn't sure she could handle him touching her again, and her ability to control her newfound powers didn't need to be tested on the Bus. Coulson would kill her if she broke it. "I am healing. Physically… I'm fine. My dad and the Avengers have been teaching me how to control my abilities. They don't scare me as much as they once did… Actually I've been offered a position as an Avenger. I haven't decided yet whether or not I want to take it."

"Why wouldn't you?" Ward asked, sitting on his cot. He stared at Daisy, his eyes clear. It reminded her of the days before she knew the truth. They spent hours sitting around the Bus talking, just talking. He'd always been so good at helping Daisy sort out her thoughts. Or so she'd believed at least. Considering he was messing with the brainwashing left inside her he'd probably just been confusing her more, whether she realized it or not.

Still, if Daisy blocked out that they were in a cell, that she had braces on her arms, and that everything had changed, she could maybe, just maybe, sort out her thoughts once more by talking to Ward. "Well Coulson also offered me a position. He wants me to come back on the Bus. Or at least he did a few weeks ago, we haven't talked much since. I don't know. I want to help people, and I know I could do that as an Avenger, but they just deal with the big things, you know? Like my dad spends more time training than actually fighting. They'll be busy for a little bit with Hydra cleanup, but so will S.H.I.E.L.D. I feel like I've worked my whole life to be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, and now all everyone cares about is that I have powers and could be more. Like being a S.H.I.E.L.D agent isn't important enough."

"Well it sounds to me like you're decided. You want to be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, so tell Coulson you want to come back. I know the man won't stop you."

Daisy wished it was that simple. "But I can't just ignore that I do have powers. You don't see many enhanced S.H.I.E.L.D agents, especially none with powers as flashy as mine. S.H.I.E.L.D is about being subtle. There's nothing subtle about making buildings topple, and too many people know who I am for me to go undercover. And there are reasons I'd like to be an Avenger. Wanda and Pietro have been offered a place too. Whatever gene I had that made that stone change me instead of killing me, they have too. I still need to figure out my past, and I would like to do that with someone like me. And I haven't exactly been the best daughter. It would be nice to be with my father, and I do enjoy being among the Avengers. I don't know. I honestly don't know what path is best. And I still have questions about my mother and step-father… things are getting easier, but that's not saying much considering how the past year has been."

Ward didn't say anything, and Daisy realized how ridiculous she was being. "What am I even doing? I can't expect you to give me advice about what to do with my life. You've made the worst decisions of anyone!"

Daisy went to leave, but found Ward grabbing her wrist. He let go the second she turned glaring at him, having accomplished his goal of making her stay. "Then take it from the person who has made all the wrong choices. Everything bad I've done in my life I've done for someone else. And everything good I've done I've done for someone else. It's too late for me, but not for you. Do things for yourself, not because of what you owe to this world. You don't owe this world anything. The world owes you. For once forget about other people and do what you want."

"Selfishness never leads to goodness," Daisy told him firmly. If he wanted to get on a better track, that was one thing he needed to understand. "And selflessness isn't just blindly following what others say is right or good."

"Don't say that to me," Ward cautioned, his eyes cold. "Because right now the only thing that keeps me helping Coulson is that I know it's what you would want me to do. I want you to forgive me, that's selfish, but it's led me to save lives. And I'm following what you say is right. I don't see how S.H.I.E.L.D is better than Hydra. I don't see how freedom makes people happy. Even if you never speak to me again everything I do I will do to try and win you back."

If he'd said it with an ounce of compassion in his eyes perhaps Daisy wouldn't have been so disturbed. He didn't though, and it freaked her out. She'd somehow missed what a sociopath he was. No she certainly couldn't rely on his advice to figure things out. It seemed the time had finally come where Daisy would just have to rely on herself.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you were wondering we're probably looking at two or so more chapters. Anyways, enjoy.

Chapter 32

In the end, the decision was obvious, and that was what made it so hard. Daisy knew what she had to do. She knew, most importantly, that there wasn't a right answer. There wasn't one path that would solve all her problems. She had a lot of problems, and any path she followed would inevitably create more problems she'd have to solve. Becoming an Avenger wasn't right for her. Returning to S.H.I.E.L.D wasn't right for her. Neither was wrong for her either. Nor was there a right answer for the world. Daisy was nowhere near as arrogant as her father, and even he knew he couldn't save everyone. She could be a neighborhood superhero, protecting the people who lived in her area really, really well, but then all the people who lived outside the few blocks of her domain would be at risk. At the same time she could be an Avenger, fighting the big fight where, if she didn't win, everyone would die, but even if she did win some people wouldn't survive. Or she could go somewhere in between with S.H.I.E.L.D, protecting more people from smaller things. One way or another there would be people she couldn't protect and people she could.

So she couldn't do what was best for her, and she couldn't do what was best for the world, because quite simply there was no such thing. Instead she just had to pick, pick what she wanted to do, what was important to her, where she felt like she was called.

When she thought about it that way, the decision was clear. What was less clear was how she was to go about executing her decision. The first step, she supposed, was to tell everyone who was waiting for her to join them that she couldn't do that.

She had stayed overnight in Montreal, making her decision in the hours she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling of a hotel room. Bobbi had told her that her bunk on the Bus was open, and that everyone would be dying to see her when they got back from their mission, but Daisy hadn't wanted to see them. She'd known seeing them would alter her decision, and she'd known that in the end this had to be the decision she finally made on her own. So she'd left, but she hadn't gone far, and, perhaps because he was waiting for her, Coulson hadn't moved the Bus during the night.

Once again Daisy walked right onto the Bus, but she'd sent Jemma a text warning them this time. She didn't need to be attacked again. Just when she was healed from all the Hydra non-sense Bobbi had given her a few good bruises to remember her by. Daisy was impressed with the woman's fighting abilities for sure, but she didn't desire to see them first hand again.

Everyone was gathered in the lounge eating pancakes when Daisy walked in, and everyone, including the new members Daisy didn't know, greeted her cheerfully. Jemma even gave Daisy a big hug. Then Daisy sat down, and they all stared at her. Daisy, however, found herself looking over her shoulder. She couldn't see into Ward's cell of course, but that didn't mean he wasn't there. Daisy didn't know if it would have been easier or harder to say what she had to if Ward wasn't there.

"I wanted to let you know personally that I don't think I can come back to S.H.I.E.L.D, not anytime soon at least," Daisy finally admitted. She saw Jemma's smile fade, the girl actually looked ready to cry, and Daisy noticed Fitz grabbing and squeezing her hand in a way that was less platonic then it should have been. Good, thought Daisy. They need to keep each other as close as possible.

Coulson looked utterly disappointed, and it made Daisy almost take back her words. Coulson was the man who had believed in her, the man who had given her opportunities, the man who had taught Daisy so much. He wasn't her father, she had a father, but it wasn't hard for Daisy to picture him filling that role had she needed him to. She didn't need him though, and he knew that. Perhaps it was hard for him to admit because he'd always wanted Daisy to be like a daughter to him, but he could see that she didn't need him. Daisy could see that as well.

"If you ever need me I'm only a phone call away. I truly mean it. I don't care if you need me to referee a sparring match or to infiltrate a Hydra base. Call me, please. Nothing I am doing is more important if any of you, even those of you I don't really know, need me. I wish things were different and I could have stayed here on the Bus for longer. Ian Quinn said something odd to me when I was pretending to hate my dad. He said that S.H.I.E.L.D lured me in by promising me the sense of belonging. He wasn't entirely wrong. I always knew my place, who I was, and that I belonged in S.H.I.E.L.D. I think though that security I feel with S.H.I.E.L.D is exactly what I need to get away from. There are still so many questions in my life I need answers to, and I need to focus on myself. But I need you all to promise to call me when you need me. I would love to kick some Hydra ass."

Everyone smiled, and Coulson even laughed. "Does this mean we're looking at the newest Avenger? I hear they're calling you Quake."

Daisy had wanted to tell her father first, but she supposed life didn't conveniently just let a conversation end so you could have it with someone else instead. It was a natural question for Coulson to ask, and they all deserved the truth. "No. I mean in a way I suppose I probably will be an Avenger. The next time there is some catastrophic danger the world is facing, I'm not just going to sit back and do nothing because I haven't been going to the bi-weekly training sessions Steve holds. I'll fight and I'll help. If Thor can somehow find his way here from Asgard whenever the Avengers assemble, I certainly can as well. I don't plan on dropping off the face of the earth again. I just need to be finding my answers instead of playing bingo with my dad in the Avengers tower."

"I've always wondered what they do when not avenging," said one of the men Daisy didn't know. He had a crisp British accent and a light smile on his face. It was nice of him to make jokes. He didn't know Daisy, but he was helping her out a lot by keeping it light.

"Honestly my dad has been an Avenger for two years and I'm not sure what he does when he's not avenging," Daisy chuckled, and she even got everyone to laugh. Unfortunately Jemma, Fitz, and Coulson still looked like they were ready to cry, and Daisy could feel tears welling up in herself. She knew it wasn't goodbye, and yet it still felt like it.

"I would love to stay, but I need to go back to New York and tell my dad what I decided," Daisy admitted, standing up. She knew the longer she stayed the harder it would be to keep with her decision. Unfortunately she couldn't just leave. There was one more thing she had to do. "If it's okay I'm going to have a few last words with Ward before going."

Coulson nodded, though there was a tightness to his jaw which promised he hated the idea of letting Daisy anywhere near that man. "I hate having to keep him around, but so far all of his intelligence has been good. It's actually a problem. It leaves us wondering what to do with him once his penance is paid."

"You keep him locked up," Daisy answered easily and without remorse. She still loved Ward some, though the feelings were certainly fading, but she could say those words without even blinking. "You need to promise me you'll never let him free, and that you'll never trust anyone else to hold him. He is broken. Any goodness that was in him once was broken, first by his brother, then by Hydra. He is a monster, and he will always be a danger to society if you let him go."

Coulson pursed his lips. "It's not that easy. Once Hydra has been destroyed we won't need him on the Bus to provide us with Intel. He'll be transferred to the Fridge and out of my control."

"Fury owes you more than he knows. You and I Coulson, we are responsible for Grant Ward, and we will be for the rest of our lives. If you ever truly have to get rid of him I'll take him and I'll keep him from destroying any more lives, but you cannot ever trust someone else with him. It's too risky. He's too good at getting into people's heads." That actually reminded Daisy of something she hadn't mentioned the first time she told Coulson the story. "Speaking of which, my memories were taken by Fury, and I think he did the same thing to you. One way or another he owes you answers because you were dead for a lot longer than a few minutes."

Once again the British guy scoffed. "Resurrections? Memory wipes? I thought I was joining up to stop these kind of things? What kind of organization is this?"

Daisy smiled, "It's a very good one, and a very flawed one."


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Daisy supposed that speaking to Ward would never get easier, but she'd given up on living her life the 'easy' way. If she wanted her life to be easy she would have gone back to S.H.I.E.L.D or joined the Avengers. No, Daisy didn't want an easy life; she wanted her own life. That she needed to make abundantly clear to Ward, even if it wasn't easy to do so.

He lit up like a Christmas tree when Daisy walked in, but at her firm glare he sat right back down on his cot looking dejected. He looked so miserable it actually hurt Daisy, and sighing she sat down on the cot next to him, allowing him to grab her hand (but pushing him away when he tried to scoot right next to her.) "I didn't expect you to come back so soon. Are you staying?"

"No," Daisy told him. She didn't know why but she wasn't feeling particularly angry with Ward at the moment. She felt more… she felt sad. She felt sad to have lost a good friend…a friend who could have been more if he'd been real. "I can't. I still need to get answers about my mother, and that's going to require tracking down my step-father."

Ward bristled at the thought. "That's not a good idea. I spoke with Raina more than once while you were…. While you were busy." Daisy inwardly rolled her eyes. He had put her in that situation; he should have had the guts enough to admit that she'd been tortured, not just 'busy'. "She's insane, and from the sounds of it your step-father is even worse."

"I don't doubt it, but I think I've learned how to deal with insane men obsessed with me."

Ward went very still, turning to Daisy. He looked half furious, half horrified, like he couldn't decide between crying and hitting her. The look sent a spike of fear through Daisy, but luckily he made no move against her. (This time). "I'm not obsessed with you, Daisy. I'm in love with you. I truly am."

"I don't think you'd know the difference between love and an obsession if you tried." Daisy didn't know where she got the courage to be so bold, especially considering she was close enough to Ward that he could easily kill her. Of course she wasn't exactly defenseless, especially considering her powers, but she would have been stupid not to fear Ward.

But once again he didn't hurt her, not physically at least. "I'm trying Daisy," he whispered, his voice pleading. It actually broke Daisy's heart a little bit, especially because she wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe him so badly. She just...She just couldn't. She never would be able to. She would be lucky if she was ever able to believe any guy ever again, never mind the same guy twice.

"I'm trying so hard Daisy, to be the man you want me to be, to prove to you that I can be good. I just need you to guide me. I just need you to point me in the right direction. But now you won't do that, will you? Now you're leaving me forever?"

Daisy took a deep breath, and squeezed Ward's hand tightly. "No. Like it or not, you made me what I am today, but I made you what you are as well. I know I'll end up seeing you again. For now though, yes, I'm leaving you with Coulson. If you do everything he tells you to, maybe you'll learn to do it because it's the right thing to do, and not just because I'm telling you to do it. And then, once I've learned who I am, and you've learned who you can be, I'll see you again and we'll look forward to the future. But don't delude yourself. We will never be what you want us to be. I will never trust you, and I cannot love someone I cannot trust."

"You can trust me Daisy. I promise. And if helping Coulson is what I have to do to prove it to you I will. I'll help him any way I can. And I'll help you too Daisy. Raina told me something about your stepfather, something you'll be interested in knowing."

Daisy was interested, but when Ward whispered his secret in her ear, Daisy flew from the room, back to her car, and along the roads to New York. She didn't know whether or not she believed Ward of course, it seemed impossible, she'd seen the pictures but… but he had no reason to lie to Daisy, and Raina had had no reason to lie to him.

Daisy's head was spinning when she got back to the Avenger's Tower, and the second she walked in she asked J.A.R.V.I.S where her had was.

"He is in the dining room with the others. Would you like me to inform him you have returned?"

"Tell him that I'm going to be down in the hanger bay… we do have a plane, right J.A.R.V.I.S? I imagine that's the only reason we would have a hanger bay."

"Of course Miss Daisy, but I would like to remind you that you do not know how to fly a plane."

Daisy ignored him, turning on her heels and towards the hanger bay. She'd seen May prep the Bus for flight a million times, and she'd helped more than once. As for the actual flying… well she'd figure it out. Mostly she'd figure out how to use autopilot. She just hoped her father hurried to meet her, because she didn't have the patience to wait for him. As soon as the plane was fueled and prepped and ready to go, Daisy needed to go.

Luckily Tony sensed Daisy's urgency, found her just as she was checking the level of the fuel tanks. "Daisy, is everything all right?"

"My mom's not dead."

That stopped Tony in his tracks. What did Daisy mean that Jaiying wasn't dead? When he first found Daisy he'd spent thousands of dollars trying to track Jaiying down. He'd been given the pictures of her mutilated body by someone who, in all honesty, probably was connected to Hydra. Of course Tony hadn't known that at the time, but he'd known they were real. He'd spent thousands of dollars making sure they were real. It was impossible for him to believe, that Jaiying, funny, sassy, spirited Jaiying, could die such a horrific death. That was part of the reason Tony hadn't told Daisy the details he knew, even though she'd found them on her own only a few years later. (Tony wished he'd known the moment she found out. Perhaps, if he'd helped her grieve the mother she could never know, she wouldn't have struggled so long with the weight of what happened to her mother.)

Because if anyone was responsible for Jaiying it was Tony. He didn't fool himself into thinking they'd been perfect or anything. He'd been a train wreck up until, and in all honesty even after, he'd met Daisy. He'd been terrible for Jaiying, for every woman he'd ever been with. He'd never been terrible to her though. He'd loved her, or at least come as close as he was capable. 'Marry that girl Tony. When you find someone like that you marry her.'

Tony had told Daisy his father's words about Jaiying years ago, but Daisy hadn't believed them to be true. They were though. They were and they were words Tony regretted infinitely. If only he'd listened to his bastard Father just that once… If he'd married Jaiying she never would have returned to China. She would have been safe with him, never marrying this 'Cal', never being tortured and killed by Hydra. And Daisy… Daisy would have been raised by two parents who loved her instead of no one. Tony didn't fool himself; he didn't raise Daisy. He loved her infinitely, but he hadn't raised her. She'd come to him practically a woman while he was still acting like a teenage boy. He'd spent half of their first year together captive, and then after only a year together she packed up and ran off to S.H.I.E.L.D, only slightly more miserable when she had to come home than when she was at her job. Tony had never even realized the depth to which she was constantly hurting; he could not truly lay claim to the wonderful woman before him.

But he would of course, because he was a naturally selfish person, and Daisy would always be his daughter, even if he didn't have the right to claim her as such. (Though he certainly had more right to claim her than that bastard Cal.)

"My mom's not dead, Dad," Daisy repeated, shocking Tony out of his thoughts. "Raina told Ward that she saw her once. Cal… Cal stitched her back up and because of what she was she came back. I know it sounds insane. And I don't trust Ward, never mind Raina, but isn't it possible? I can level a building with a thought. She could come back from that."

Tony didn't know what to say. "Daisy, you don't need to run off to find her. You have a family here. Pepper, Maria and I, we're your family. You can stop running around trying to figure things out. The answers are all here."

Daisy smiled softly, putting the fueling tank down and coming over to kiss him on the cheek. "I know Dad. God I don't want you to think it's about that. It's not. If she'd truly alive then there has to be something really, really wrong with her. Because she didn't come back for me. Cal murdered my village and she didn't come and find me. I know they're not my family. But… but one way or another she did give me her genes, and there was something in those genes neither of us could imagine. I need to know why I have these abilities. I won't ever truly be in control of them if I don't understand why. I need to go find her, not because I long for family, because I have so much family it's crazy. I need to go find her because as the woman who chose to bring me into this world she owes me answers."

It was selfish and Tony knew it, but Daisy's words thrilled him. She saw him as her father and that would never change. Whether or not Tony was deserving of that title, Daisy had given it to him. She'd given it to him and changed everything. "I could come with you, if you would like. I actually know how to fly a plane."

Daisy smiled, "I know, I really do, but you're needed here. I'll always be your first daughter, but I'm not your only daughter. Maria needs you. She's so big. I can hardly believe how big she is. And I hate the thought of every moment she spends apart from you. I'm an adult now. I can drink and all. But Maria is just a baby, a baby who needs a father who isn't running after her big sister all the time. I can do this alone. If flying a plane really turns out to be that difficult I'll just control it using my powers."

Tony laughed. Daisy was so reckless sometimes, and as much as it scared him, it was one of the things he loved about her. It was one of the things that proved she was very much his daughter. "Very well then, but there are rules. I've let you run around without any rules for far too long. When I went to college my mother made me promise to let her know every morning and every night that I was alive. Snapchat me, text me, please call every once in a while. Even if you have to make an earthquake and get yourself on the international news, you have to let me know twice a day that you're okay and where you are. And you need to be fully aware that the consequence for missing a check in will be the entire force of the Avengers reigning down on wherever you last said you were."

Daisy laughed, kissing his cheek again. It made Tony blush. "I promise. I'm sick of dropping off the face of the earth for months at a time., but you know, you're a bit overprotective, Dad."

"And yet I've failed again and again to protect you."

Daisy grabbed her dad's hands, and Tony looked her right in the eye. She had the most beautiful eyes, deep as the ocean and hopeful as a morning star. She was truly beautiful, and Tony truly loved her. Whenever he thought about how much he loved her he remembered his father a little better, because it had to be impossible for a father not to love their child as deeply as Tony loved Daisy and Maria.

"Everything that has happened to me has made me the person I am, and as much as I would have preferred to become this person without all the pain, fire forges. I was always meant to get my abilities. I can just feel it. And I was always meant to have a father who loves me. I wasn't meant to get either or those in a particularly normal way."

Tony gave Daisy a tight hug, which she reciprocated with only a little hesitance. She twinged though when he touched her side, and then he noticed bruises along her body. "What happened! You were all healed!"

Daisy laughed, "You know, if you ever need another Avenger there is a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Bobbi Morse, who's practically Natasha's level of a fighter."

Tony shook his head; Daisy was far too good at getting in trouble. "Twice a day, and if you end up kidnapped or in the hospital you're getting a full time Iron Legion escort."

Daisy saluted, then hugged her dad one more time. Tony watched as she walked towards the plane, climbing in the cockpit like she actually knew what she was doing. She even figured out how to open up the roof, which Tony decided meant she knew enough of what she was doing to be allowed on her own.

Tony was pretty sure it was bad for his ears to stand there as the plane engine turned on, but he wasn't about to walk away. He was glad he didn't too because just before she took off Daisy smiled brightly, waving to him. He waved back, and watched as she lifted the plane up and out, shooting off to the sky.

Pepper came running just as Daisy left, and stood next to Tony. He wrapped her arms around her, and she buried her face in him. "I can't believe she left without saying goodbye. I'm going to kill her."

Tony laughed, kissing his wife on the top of her head. "She was in a bit of a rush. Ward told her that Jaiying was still alive."

Pepper scowled, "I don't like that man. There's no way he's right, is there?"

Tony honestly didn't know. "I suppose, after everything that has happened, that anything is possible. But she needs to go find out answers, and after that… Well she's 21. You can't actually expect her to have figured out her life yet."

Pepper shook her head, "So she's running away again."

Tony smiled, watching as Daisy just became a trail of clouds in the sky. "No, no I think Daisy actually just taught herself how to fly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has read this megalith of a series. It has been both fun and tedious to write at times, but whenever I looked at how many people were reading, or got a new review, I remembered that I write fanfiction not just for myself, but for those who get enjoyment out of it. So thank you if any moment of any of the three Starkling fics made you smile. (Or cry. Angry reviews make me happier than happy reviews.) Thank you if you stuck with me after the year long hiatus as I got distracted by other fandoms. Just thank you.
> 
> As far as I know, this series is over. I may return to it. I have a habit of doing that. Maybe I'll write a one-shot, or maybe I'll write another novel-length fic. I really don't know. Just don't plan on finding another Starkling fic. If I write one and you find it I hope you'll read, but don't place bets on it. I have no plans for writing more.
> 
> "How can you do that to us Hope when there is so much left untold? What about Age of Ultron? Or Civil War? What will happen when Daisy meets her mom? Will she end up with Lincoln? Will Ward stay 'good'? You can't just end it there."
> 
> Unfortunately, I must. Until the Marvel Cinematic Universe is completely finished. Until there are no more movies or shows being made, there will always be new questions that could be explored in this fic. I physically cannot devote the rest of my life to writing this series. Besides, so much has been changed that none of those things would happen. Tony is not going to make Ultron because Wanda isn't going to get into his head. There will be no Civil War because there was no Battle of Sokovia. Tony would be a lot more understanding to Bucky now that he's seen Daisy under Hydra brainwashing. Everything is different now. So if someone wanted to write another fic exploring these differences going forward, they're welcome to, but I simply cannot be the one to do it. I have other projects, both original and fanfiction wise, that I need to work on. I cannot write every moment of Daisy Stark's life up until her death (Because I imagine her having a long and fruitful life).
> 
> But never forget that I love you guys, and the response this fic has earned has been beyond wonderful. Thank you all for your time, and I hope you enjoyed.


End file.
